


A Closed Set

by CMackenzie



Series: Learning to Count on You [4]
Category: Veronica Mars (Movie 2014), Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-01-27 16:21:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 97,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1716980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMackenzie/pseuds/CMackenzie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the sequel to my previous story COME BACK TO ME. It picks up right at the events of that story's Epilogue. Logan is on leave and a person from his past needs Veronica's help. Will her arrival cause problems for LoVe?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. PROLOGUE

**Author's Note:**

> Again, another profound word of thanks to the talented tumblr user lilamadison11 for the beautiful B&W picture of Logan and Wyatt in the hammock. When I saw this creation, I was speechless and I know you'll enjoy staring at it (almost) as much as I did.

PROLOGUE – LOGAN

“Dude.” Dick knocked into the hammock with his knee.

“Dick, you’re going to wake up Wyatt.” Veronica was right; he really was just a big dopey puppy; lovable and loyal, but completely untrainable.

He lowered his voice, “Dude.”

Logan smirked. “Yeah I got that part already Dick.”

“Uh, your sister’s here.”

“Quit fucking with me and go away.”

“Logan?” The way she called his name was enough to tell him that this wasn’t just Dick’s idea of a bad joke. He didn’t know how she did it, but with the right inflection she could make his name mean anything she wanted. Most times he read her mood, angry, exasperated, teasing, flustered, excited, or satisfied, by the way she uttered those two syllables, _Logan_. His favorite was satisfied, when it sounded like a soft sigh.

Even with his eyes shut, he knew she was getting closer. He always knew where she was in relation to him. He was like a ship navigating by the stars and Veronica was true north. _Having a daughter has made you downright mushy, Echolls_. The minute she reached his side, Logan opened his eyes. “Just write her a check and make her go away.”

Veronica frowned at him. “She wants to see you and she hasn’t met her…” The look of disgust on his face made her words falter. “Wyatt. She hasn’t met Wyatt.”

Logan protectively cupped the back of his daughter’s tiny head. Trina would meet Wyatt when hell froze over. “Tell her now’s not a good time. See if, uh, never works for her.”

A slight tilt to her head. “For me?”

With a sigh, he leveraged himself out of the hammock. “We really need to discuss how many times you get to use that phrase.” He kissed her nose and started to pass her Wyatt. Veronica shook her head. She liked to believe she was inscrutable, but Logan knew exactly why she wanted him to keep holding the baby. Daddy Logan was calm and reasonable Logan. He headed for the house.

“Baby bro.” Trina’s hair was dyed such an awful shade of black it looked fake. _Fake, like the rest of her_. Otherwise, she was still the same, only older, but probably not any wiser.

“How ever did you find us here so far away from your home planet?”

She ignored the jibe. “Do I get to hold my niece?”

His jaw clenched. “I don’t think you get how this works for one to have a niece they first need to have a sibling.”

“Logan.” _Ah, Veronica’s warning tone_. He gave her his best, _don’t worry I’ll play nice_ , smirk.

“What do you want Trina?”

“Can’t a sister just come visit her brother without the third degree?”

He opened his mouth and Veronica grabbed his hand. “Why don’t we go put Wyatt down?” She started tugging him toward the back of the house.

“Wyatt?” Logan turned back with a cold stare silencing whatever Trina was about to say.

Veronica’s grip on his hand was cutting off his circulation. He gave up and let her lead him down the hall. Once they were in the nursery, Veronica closed the door behind them and turned off the baby monitor. “Talk.”

Logan settled Wyatt in her crib and leaned his forearms on the rails to watch her sleep. “Not here.” He didn’t want to bring the ugliness of the Echolls family drama into his daughter’s room. _We should’ve named her_ _Wyatt Leigh Mars_. Veronica opened the connecting door to their room. He could feel her behind him waiting. He straightened, gave Wyatt one last look and headed for his interrogation. “Should I wait for the bright light to be shined in my face and you to break out the rubber hoses or are we just going right to the questions?”

“Logan.” That was one he hadn’t heard in a while. The, you’re being a real jackass, tone. He knew he was being a dick and he knew she didn’t deserve it, but he was angry. Seeing Trina made him feel like his old self and not in a good way.

“Ten years Veronica. Ten fucking years and she picks today to stroll back in like nothing’s wrong?” He started to pace. “Do you know what she told me when I testified at Aaron’s trial? You remember him right, Saint Aaron? Loved and adored by millions. She told me I was dead to her. She told me if I testified against our _father_ ” --he spit the word-- “ _Daddy,_ that she would never speak to me again.” He wanted to hit someone or break something.

Veronica left the bed and approached him. There was no hesitation, no caution, to her movements. She could see how angry he was, but there was no fear in her gaze, only concern. Complete trust that he would never hurt her. She laid her hand against his chest and his anger started to ebb. It was humbling to him that someone like her could possibly love someone like him. He gently toyed with a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. “She’s not just here to catch up is she?”

She shook her head. “She says she’s in trouble.” Her arms encircled his waist and she laid her head on his chest.

“The needs to borrow money kind of trouble or the, I’m going to jail for the rest of my life kind of trouble?” Knowing his sister it was probably both and it probably had to do with a man.

“I don’t know. I came to get you.” _Veronica Mars actually held off her curiosity long enough to check with him first, will wonders never cease?_ Logan kissed the top of her head.

“And she wants your help right?” An almost imperceptible nod. “At the risk of starting an argument, you and I had a deal.”

Veronica let her arms fall back to her side and took a step away. “No. We were _negotiating_ a deal.”

“Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe.”

“You know the next line of that song right? Let’s call the whole thing off.”

His heart stopped and he experienced a moment of sheer panic. _Your deal Logan, not your relationship_. The thought didn’t calm him; he needed to hear her say it. “You mean our deal?”

She lightly touched his cheek. “Logan, I love you. I’m not going anywhere.” He bent his head to kiss her. It was only supposed to be a gentle I love you too kiss, but the moment their lips met his intent changed. _The road to hell is paved with good intentions_.

Logan cupped her face, his mouth not leaving hers, and slowly spun her around so that he was closer to the bed. He fell back on the mattress, pulling her down with him. He couldn’t get enough of her. Her taste, her smell, the feel of her skin. _I need more hands_. He pulled her shirt off and started reaching for the button on her jeans when she stopped him. “We have a house full of people.”

“And they all know where babies come from.”

“Yes, but I don’t think they expect to listen to us make the next one.”

Logan grinned. “The next one?”

Her blush deepened from the delightful shade of turned on pink to a deep rosy hue. “You know what I meant.”

“Yes.” He rolled them over with his knee between her legs and pinned her to the mattress. “You meant,” he kissed her neck, “That you,” another kiss at the base of her throat, “Want to make.” Logan let her hands go as his mouth closed over her breast. She buried her fingers in his hair and arched her back. He glanced up at her face while he gently sucked. _God, he loved watching her_. He pulled back, “More babies,” and softly blew across her nipple. “With me.” He feathered kisses down her belly. With each kiss he could feel her quiver.

Veronica rolled on to her stomach. “Go away,” her voice was strained.

He grinned. “Interesting choice Veronica. I can work with this.” Logan grabbed her thighs and lifted her legs into a kneeling position. “Is it my birthday?”

“Logan!”

“Hmm, I like it when you say my name.” She scrambled across the bed and dropped to the floor on the other side.

“This bed isn’t big enough to keep me away from you.” He put a knee on the bed and made a move toward her.

Veronica pointed at him. “You just stay over there where I can keep my eyes on you.”

“Your eyes aren’t what I want on me.” At his words, those blue eyes flared and Logan grinned.

She fixed her bra. _Note to self; first thing tomorrow send a million dollar check to the genius who invented the easy access nursing bra_. Veronica tugged her shirt on. Logan didn’t miss the slight tremor in her fingers. “Now I’m going to go back to our party and you are going to stay right there.”

“But we weren’t done negotiating.”

“Is that what you call this?”

“No. I call this hot.” She made a break for the door and he beat her to it. The reason for their initial escape into the bedroom came back to him. He sighed. “Remind me again why there have to be other people in the world?”

“You could always buy us a deserted island.”

He wrapped her in his arms. “You want to help her don’t you?”

“She’s…” Her words trailed off.

Logan rested his head on hers. “Go ahead say it.”

“She’s your sister, Wyatt’s aunt.” Parker almost killed her and Wyatt. Not once, but twice. If the baby monitor hadn’t been there and Veronica walked into Dick’s house with Parker holding that gun, he could’ve lost them.

Nobody told Veronica what to do. He’d tried that once and it wasn’t pretty. He could ask her. He wasn’t above getting down on his knees and begging her not to do it. But this was the Veronica he was in love with. The feisty and independent Veronica who called him on his shit and challenged him. He let her go and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “Go, go do your thing tiny blonde one.”

 


	2. CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

Trina’s arrival at the party put a damper on the celebration. Not so much Trina, but Logan’s _reaction_ to her. He was wound up and tense, pacing through the house like a caged animal. A caged animal that looked both magnificent and deadly at the same time. Everyone gave him a wide berth and by the end of the afternoon Veronica was seriously considering the deserted island idea. Not one snarky comment passed his lips. He said very little to anyone. She almost wished for a snide remark or nasty dig so she would know that he was okay. Instead he prowled through the rooms, wounded.

This was the lonely Logan. Ten years without his sister and she only showed up today because she needed help. There was a wariness in his eyes she’d never seen before. He was watching and waiting to be hurt or disappointed. It was like catching a glimpse of him as a child, alone and afraid and abused. Veronica’s eyes followed him everywhere. Once or twice she caught him behaving normal. Outside on the deck with her dad while he was giving Logan lessons in the proper art of grilling he actually cracked a smile and, of course, when Wyatt woke from her nap.

He was very selective in who got to hold her and for how long. It was so skillful, Veronica was sure no one noticed, but her and maybe Dad, who outside of the two of them, got to hold Wyatt the longest. Dottie placed second with Mac and Wallace tied for third. Any time Trina even came close to the baby, Logan would grow edgy and Wyatt would cry, completely in sync to the change in Daddy’s mood. Eventually, Trina mumbled something about “not being good with babies” and kept her distance.

Veronica sighed. By the time the door closed behind their last guest, she was as tense as Logan. Wyatt was fed and content on her play mat for tummy time. Logan was stretched out on his back on the floor next to her, one arm bent behind his head. He was still quiet and unresponsive, his thoughts turned inward. Veronica picked a seat, which allowed her to keep all three of them in view. “What do you need my help with Trina?”

Instead of answering, she said, “You and Logan playing house huh? I didn’t see that coming.” The muscles in Logan’s jaw ticked like a bomb waiting to go off. When Veronica didn’t respond, Trina got to her story. “I’m in trouble. I’m directing a movie and there have been strange things happening on the set.”

“Stranger than someone paying you to direct a movie?”

Trina ignored her brother. “At first I didn’t even notice something was wrong.”

“Trina Echolls.” Logan drew his hand across the air like he was reading an imaginary marquee, “Clueless.”

“What kind of things?”

“Incorrect call sheets, broken lights, missing props- that sort of thing, you know, normal stuff that goes wrong when you’re filming.”

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to help you,” Veronica demurred. Surprise registered on Logan’s face and she was quick to explain. “I can’t go to Hollywood and leave the baby.”

“You don’t have to leave, we’re filming here.”

It was Veronica’s turn to be surprised, “in Neptune?”

“It lends a certain authenticity to the script.”

Before Veronica could ask her why, Logan asked, “how far into the shoot are you?”

“Three weeks.” His mask slipped revealing a pained expression, but he blinked and it was gone. She’d been here three weeks and not one phone call. _Exactly why did you want to help her Veronica? Oh right, family_. “But we’re going to have to start over; the film we’ve already shot has been stolen.”

“And you think somebody is trying to sabotage your movie? Any ideas who?”

“No.” There was a slight hesitation in her response. “But it gets worse.”

“There’s the movie tagline – it…gets…worse,” Logan’s gaze flicked to Trina’s face, “or is that the title?”

“You’re not funny, Logan.”

“I’m pretty sure I am.” He paused, “God, I hope it’s not a comedy.”

“It’s a murder mystery with lots of intrigue and suspense,” she gushed.

Logan sat up, “is Access Hollywood here? Does my hair look okay? Should I change?” He gently picked up Wyatt, covered her face in soft butterfly kisses and put her down on her back. Then he turned on her mobile and smiled at her. The dichotomy between his tenderness for Wyatt and his caustic remarks to Trina was startling.

Veronica turned her attention back to Trina and found her watching Logan and the baby with a wry grin on her face. _Maybe Wyatt should stay an only child._ “How did things get worse?”

Trina shrugged, “someone replaced the dulling spray with spray paint and we ruined a Mercedes.”

“Dulling spray?”

Logan, not Trina, answered her question. “It’s a matte spray the prop guy puts on shiny objects so they don’t draw attention away from the actors or in this case, distract the director.”

Trina made a face at him, before continuing, “They broke one of the cameras, cut the wires on the genny, which was a rental and cost us three days of shooting while we waited for a replacement. Then someone put laxatives in the food at craft services.”

“Did you have to clean the bathroom in the four-banger yourself?” Logan smirked, “Not just Trina’s pet name; it’s also a trailer.”

 _Asking Trina to stick around today was not one of my better ideas._ Veronica needed to end this now. “Tell me where you’ll be tomorrow. I’ll look around, ask some questions.”

“The thing is,” she hedged, “I can’t actually pay you.”

Veronica frowned, “I didn’t expect…”

Logan interrupted, “just have the studio pay Veronica.” He stood; crossed his arm over his chest and stretched his shoulder. Then he did the same for his other arm. It did little to relieve the tension visible in his body. His posture was so rigid; Veronica thought a mild breeze could make him snap.

“No, they can’t because, well,” her eyes shifted away, “there is no studio.”

The meaning of her words while not clear to Veronica, were apparently easily understood by Logan. His eyes narrowed, “how much?”

Trina sighed, “all of it.”

“All?” Logan walked over to his sister, pushed back her bangs and leaned in real close.

Trina smacked his hand away, “what are you doing?”

“Sucker. I was just checking to see if you actually have it tattooed across your forehead.” He took a step back, “how much is left?”

“Not much.” She shrugged, “maybe enough for another two weeks, but not if these accidents keep happening.”

“Only you could elevate dumb to an art form. I don’t think your village even wants you back.” He flung himself into the chair next to Veronica. His fingers curled around the arm of the chair and his thumb drummed out a steady beat against the upholstery. “Did you call the insurance company?”

“I didn’t…we don’t…”

“Of course you don’t. Why would I think you were smart enough to get a completion bond?”

They were speaking a language completely foreign to Veronica. “What’s going on?”

“My _sister_ in her infinite wisdom invested all her money in this movie. They call it dumb money for a reason.” He gestured toward Trina, “meet the reason.”

“How did you break the terms of the trust?” Veronica had read through the terms of the irrevocable trust Aaron created for Logan’s inheritance. The income was paid directly to Logan on a monthly basis, but the bulk of the trust assets were tightly controlled by three trustees. Logan got a third of the money outright upon Aaron’s death, but the remaining sum was payable as a third on Logan’s thirtieth birthday and the balance when he turned thirty-five. In the meantime, if he wanted access to the funds for specific reasons, he needed the consent of, not just one, but all three trustees.

Trina looked guilty. “My money wasn’t in any trust.”

Veronica shook her head. It was hard to reconcile Aaron’s treatment of Trina with his abuse of Logan. It was almost like the more he adored his daughter, the worse he treated his son. Maybe it had to do with Aaron’s warped idea that if he reserved the beatings for his son and not his daughter it made him a better man than his own father. It just made Veronica hurt more for Logan and the little boy he’d once been. “What’s a completion bond?”

Again it was Logan who answered her, “it guarantees the movie gets made without it costing any more than the original investment. Worst case, if the production gets shut down, the producers, _Trina,_ gets her money back.”

She studied Logan, “how do you know all this?”

“Veronica, I learned to walk on a movie set.” He smirked, “my first word was gaffer.”

It was easy to forget that part of his life because he didn’t want to talk about it. On the rare occasions his childhood came up, he dismissed it with an offhand quip: ‘ _Good news? I wasn’t an orphan. Bad news? I wasn’t an orphan’ or ‘it was like Oliver Twist only depressing.’_ “You not having a completion bond means what exactly?”

“That if I have to shut down production, I lose everything.” She frowned at Logan, “despite what baby bro thinks, this movie is great.” Logan issued a disgusted grunt. “I’ll make all my money back and then some, if we get to finish filming.”

“What’s the movie about?”

At Veronica’s question, Trina’s eyes darted to Logan and back. _Uh-oh_. She avoided answering the question, “there’s just one other problem. Conner Larkin, you remember him right? He’s one of the stars of the movie.”

“That sounds like more of a problem for Conner than for Veronica. What’s that sucking noise? His career going down the drain. Or, did the abs finally go?”

“She’s afraid he’ll remember me.”

Trina nodded, “I don’t want anyone to know you’re investigating. Tensions on the set are really high right now.”

 _Not as high as the tension in this room, I bet_. “Don’t worry Trina, I’ll think of something.”

She dug through her purse and passed Veronica a sheet of paper. “That’s our shooting schedule for the next few days. It has call times and locations and my cell number is on the bottom. When you come up with your cover story…”

Logan cut in, “just tell them you hired a new PA. tell them her name is Andrea Sachs.” He offered Veronica a sly smile, his eyes alight with humor. If Trina caught the reference she gave no sign of it. Veronica grinned.

“Okay then, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Veronica walked her out and came back to Logan. She settled herself on his lap, “Devil Wears Prada?”

He shrugged, “if the label fits.”

“Ah, but which label? Devil or Prada?”

“Take your pick.” He kissed the top of her head. “It’s your fault for making me watch the stupid movie in the first place.”

“It wasn’t me. You must have been with Wallace, he digs chick flicks.” His tension was easing. She could feel it lessen each time he touched her; first as he stroked her hair and then as his hand slid up her thigh and around her waist. He pulled her tighter and rested his head on hers.

“Veronica?” She gave him a soft ‘hmm’ as she buried her face in his neck. _It’s not right that he should smell this good_. “If you need to meet with Trina again, don’t bring her here okay?”

“Will you tell me why?”

“Can’t you just do it?”

Veronica sighed. “If you don’t want her here, that’s fine. I wasn’t asking for a valid reason. I’m asking why because I love you and I want you to talk to me.”

He placed his hands on her shoulders and moved her back so he could see her face. “Is this part of that whole we need to work on our communication thing?”

“I’m no expert, but yeah, I think it is.”

“Hmm should I start keeping a feelings journal again?”

“You stopped? How unlike you.”

He smiled. “I did really like it. It helped me get in touch with my feminine side.”

“Huh, then maybe I should try it.”

“I could help you get in touch with your feminine side.” His palm grazed down the side of her leg and made a slow lazy circle around her knee before sliding up her inner thigh. Veronica wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth down to hers. Logan broke off the kiss, picked her up and set her on her feet. “But you wanted to talk.”

“We can talk. Right after I bring you a pillow and a blanket for your night on the sofa.”

“I’m so confused,” he pouted, “do you want me for my mind or my body?”

“Duh, your body of course.” She took his hand and tugged him out of his seat. “Come talk to me while I feed Wyatt.” Veronica picked up the baby, “and grab that shooting schedule your sister left me, please.”

He caught up to her in the hall and slipped his hand around her waist, pressing his palm against her belly. He peered at Wyatt over her shoulder, “she really is perfect isn’t she?”

“Yes.” Veronica laughed, “but I think we’re biased.”

“Maybe you are. Me? Completely objective.” He kissed her neck, “So how many more are we going to have, five? Six?”

“Are you trying to keep me barefoot and pregnant?”

“Would that I could Mars, would that I could.”

This was her new favorite nightly ritual, sitting on the bed between Logan’s outstretched legs, nursing their daughter. She leaned back against his chest, “learned to walk on a movie set?”

“With my nanny.” She heard his head thunk back against the headboard and felt him sigh, “you know my childhood is really not all that interesting.”

“How can you say that? I find _everything_ about you simply _fascinating_ ,” she fawned. “You’re completely missing the visual, but right now at this very instant, I’m batting my eyes at you and giving you a come hither smile.”

“Sure you are.” He kissed her shoulder. “This is our home Veronica; yours, mine and Wyatt’s. I don’t want that old life anywhere near this one. Can you understand that?”

“You know, I’m part of your old life.”

“No, absolutely not. You’re what _saved_ me from my old life.” He kissed her shoulder again, “I love you Veronica.” She turned her head to kiss him and dislodged Wyatt who was none too happy about it. Logan laughed, “she takes her food just as seriously as her mommy.”

“Food is serious business. Mmm, food, is there any of Dick’s lasagna left?”

“I hid an entire slab of it for you in the back of the fridge.”

“For that I’ll let you sleep in bed with me tonight.”

“Let me? More like beg me.” She humphed. He pressed his lips against her ear, “want me to show you how easy I can make you beg? _Please Logan, now Logan_.”

She gave him a soft jab with her elbow, “you’re lucky I love you.”

His response was quiet and serious, “Yes I am.”

Their conversation waned; both transfixed with watching their daughter fall asleep. Veronica inched off the bed, “I’m going to put her down and get some food.” She turned back to him, “want to share with me?” Neither of them had eaten much today.

He was standing next to the bed, “Okay.” He stripped off his shirt and started removing his jeans. Veronica leaned against the doorjamb to watch. “I thought you were putting the baby down?”

“I will in a minute.”

Logan grinned. “Food first Veronica, then we’ll see. I think I have a headache.”

Turning from the room, she muttered, “the only thing we’ll see is who does the begging tonight.” _It will probably still be you, Veronica_. She settled Wyatt in her crib, made sure the baby monitor was on and headed for the kitchen.

When Logan said slab, he wasn’t kidding, he’d saved half the tray for her. _Good man._ She heated the lasagna, grabbed a can of soda for them to share and two forks. Logan was sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to her. His shoulders were as rigid as before. “What’s wrong?”

He half turned and threw Trina’s shooting schedule on the bed. Veronica set the food on the dresser and picked up the schedule. The very first address for tomorrow answered her question as to what was wrong. It was an exterior shot by the pool at the former Kane mansion.

 


	3. CHAPTER TWO

There was no begging and not much communication from either of them last night. _One step forward and twenty back_. Veronica sighed. There were no constants in Logan’s life, no anchor. With no one for him to trust with his thoughts, he kept them to himself. _I look at you and your dad, you know, that thing you have. I never had that._ Veronica knew he trusted her, but there were still areas, parts of him, that were closed. She wanted to know them, she wanted inside. _He’s not a mystery to be solved, Veronica_.

She let Logan sleep and got the baby before she could wake him. Even with a constant in her life, Veronica didn’t like to share. She preferred to keep her own counsel. Did a couple really need to share all their secrets? Weren’t there things in the past that could just stay there? Veronica honestly didn’t know. _Healthy and happy marriages in Neptune are like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, non-existent._ She thought trust was the key and, unfortunately, neither of them was very good with it.

Veronica was tired. The baby was still sleeping for a good portion of the day, but only two or three hours of it was consecutive. Last night she was extra fussy. Every two hours almost like clockwork, she wanted to be fed and held. She settled Wyatt in her swing, “let’s not tell Daddy he might be right, okay?”

While she cooked breakfast, her thoughts turned to his deal and their fight about it. ‘ _You just had a baby Veronica, can’t you slow down and take it easy for a little while. Maternity leave, it’s a thing, you may have heard of it.’_

_Maternity leave isn’t two years long, Logan.’_

_'One dangerous job at a time is not too much to ask. I’m not telling you to quit working, because we both know how that would go over. Expand Mars Investigations, find new office space, do lawyer stuff, just leave the field work to your dad.’_

_'Haven’t we been down this road before? This is who I am.’_

_'God, Veronica I’m not asking you to change, just to wait. As soon as I get my discharge, you can put the cape back on and rejoin the Super Friends. Parker could’ve killed you.’_

_'She could’ve killed you too.’_

“Is that bacon I smell?” Logan kissed the top of Wyatt’s head and then came to stand behind her. His arms encircled her waist, “burnt just the way I like it.”

Veronica frowned, “it’s not _burnt_ , it’s crispy.”

“Just because you keep telling me that, doesn’t make it true.” He kissed her neck, “let’s take Wyatt to the beach today.”

“Uh, I have to go to the set today and meet with your sister.”

Logan’s arms disappeared from her waist and he stepped back, “you’re still doing that?”

“I told her I would and I want an explanation.”

“What other explanation can there be?”

There was no answer to his question. She knew because she’d been thinking about it all night. Trina’s reluctance to discuss the movie, that quick little glance at Logan when Veronica asked, the comment about Neptune lending a certain authenticity to the script, and the locations on the shooting schedule all led in one direction. The television movie version never happened. Everyone passed on the idea; everyone, but Trina it seemed. “If that’s what this is…”

“You’ll quit? Walk away? Leave the mystery unsolved?” _Patience, Veronica_. “What about when my leave is up? Are you going to take Wyatt along with you on stakeouts?”

“Communication isn’t fighting Logan.” She kept her voice even and quiet. Silently, she finished cooking the eggs. She made a plate for him and set it on the table. “You should eat that before it gets cold.”

“What about you?”

“I’m not hungry.” There was an invisible line across the room and neither of them seemed willing to cross it. Stalemate in the kitchen. Logan was usually the first to break. He was the first to bend to her will and give in to what she wanted. Veronica recognized it as fact and she knew why- fear. He was afraid she’d leave. That she would walk away with Wyatt and it would be another nine years before he saw either of them again. It didn’t matter how many times she told him she was staying. Her reassurances didn’t get through to him. _Everyone leaves me, Veronica._

The only thing he asked for was time. He couldn’t leave the Navy until his eight years was done, but he was going to do it. Take his honorable discharge and do something else. _‘Like what?’_

_‘I don’t know Veronica. Hang around the beach all day with Wyatt; teach bored rich people how to fly.’_

_‘You will be a bored rich person.’_

_‘Yes, but I already know how to fly.’_

He was going to sacrifice his career in the Navy. He said it wasn’t for her, that it was his decision and this was what he wanted. ‘ _I don’t want to miss all that time in my daughter’s life.’_

_‘Other people do it.’_

_‘I’m not other people, I need to be here.’_

Veronica crossed the invisible line and put her arms around him. “If this movie isn’t about Lilly, I’m going to help Trina, but after that, you can have your deal.”

He rocked back on his heels and put a hand on her forehead, “you don’t feel feverish. Should I check the closet for a pod?”

“Only if you’re going to clean it while you’re in there.”

“I don’t do closets, or windows, dishes, scrubbing of any kind…”

“It might be shorter if you just tell me what you will do.”

“Love you.”

Veronica smiled, “so that’s a chore now?” She held up her hand, “don’t answer that. One fight a morning is your limit.”

He sat at the table and touched his eggs, “cold and burn...crispy, perfect. Want to share?”

“No, I need to get ready.” She glanced at Wyatt, “what are you two going to do today?”

He shrugged, “maybe I’ll take her flying.” Her thoughts on that idea must have been clear from her expression. “Easy Veronica, I was only kidding. She’s going to spend most of the day sleeping, but maybe we’ll go to Dick’s.”

Veronica frowned, “don’t take her to the beach. She can’t wear sunscreen and it’s too hot and the sand will irritate her skin. I’ve pumped enough milk, but there’s more in the freezer if you need it. Make sure you take extra diapers and don’t take the convertible, use my car. And…” He lost the effort to hide it and a wide grin spread across his face. “And you know all this already.”

“That’s okay, it’s cute.”

A quick shower, a few lingering kisses goodbye and she was in Logan’s BMW on her way to the Kane house. The shooting schedule said that Conner wasn’t due on set today so she didn’t feel the need to alter her appearance, but she did make a few concessions. A baseball cap covered her hair and she wore a pair of dark sunglasses. Hopefully, she’d be mistaken for some starlet hiding from her adoring fans.

The front gates were open. Veronica made the turn onto the new driveway. Three shades of grey paving stones were laid in a herringbone pattern. The darkest of the three grays was now the color of the house. Gone were the smoke glass front doors and in their place was a custom-made cherry wood door with sidelights. She parked with the other cars and made her way around the house to the yard. The changes to the house itself were minor compared to the changes in the yard.

The modern, angular swimming pool was now a free form lagoon. It was edged with Tennessee fieldstone and landscaped with thick ferns and palm trees. The very large pool narrowed in the center and an arched wood bridge allowed you to walk from one side to the other. An actual sand beach led into the water and at the far end of the pool a waterfall cascaded down the rocks. It was a tropical paradise.

A tropical paradise if you could ignore the thick black cables snaked all over the place and the large grid erected over the pool. Trina was shouting directions to a man dangling from said grid as he was doing something very complicated with lights and wires. There were maybe twenty people around the pool and everyone was moving. Three 12x12 flags of thin white material were being angled around the water by three, two man crews.

Trina spotted her and waved her over. Veronica shook her head and waited. The resulting sigh of exasperation was so dramatic; Veronica could hear it from where she stood. When Trina was finally done “directing” the man on the lights, she crossed the yard.

Veronica wasted no time, “Is this movie about Lilly’s murder?”

It took a minute for her to recover from the directness of the question. “It’s not what you’re thinking. No one really cares about a murder that happened…”

“I care. _Logan_ cares.”

Trina shook her head, “what I meant was who would pay to see that movie? Everyone knows how it ends, well some of us do.” _Walk away now, Veronica_. She turned on her heel and started back to her car. Trina raced after her and grabbed her arm. “It’s not like that.”

Veronica didn’t realize how angry she was until just this minute. “Did you even think of your brother at all? Was he even a little tiny blip on your radar screen? You were the only family he had left.”

“He had you.” _No, he didn’t. I walked away from him too_. “I swear this movie is not about Lilly.”

“Then give me the script.” Trina’s gaze fell to the ground. “That’s what I thought. Good luck with your movie.”

“Please Veronica; I really need your help. Yes there are some details from Lilly’s murder, but the _story_ is entirely different. I’ll let you read the script and you can see I’m telling the truth.”

If she walked away now what would happen? Trina said there was enough money for maybe two weeks of filming. Then the production would shut down, Trina would lose her money and the movie would never get made. Veronica could live with that. She didn’t really care where that would leave Trina. Maybe it would be a good thing for her. _She can get a job and live with the rest of us here in reality._

What Veronica cared about was Logan. If she didn’t help Trina, any chance at a relationship with his sister would be gone. He would probably say it didn’t matter, but Veronica saw his face when he heard she’d been in Neptune for three weeks. And what about the pranks on the set? What if they took a more serious turn and someone got hurt? Really hurt. “Go get me the script and we’ll see.”

Trina crossed the lawn, glancing back once or twice to see if Veronica was waiting. When she returned with the script, she held on to it. “Logan is the only family I have left too Veronica. I know you think I don’t care about him, but you’re wrong.” Trina handed her the script, “we can make changes.”

 _Was she talking about her and Logan, the script, or both?_ “Cancel today’s filming Trina. I mean it, not one more frame until I read this.”

A slight nod was her only response. Veronica stood there watching as Trina made the crew start to undo everything they’d been working on. The man from the lights jumped down and started waving his arms at her. She held her ground, and then lost her patience. “Fine, leave it there!”

Satisfied, Veronica shoved the script in her purse and headed for the car. Going home to read would be a mistake for multiple reasons. She got two lattes on her way to the office. Mac was on the phone when she walked in. “Yes, I’ll have him call you back as soon as he finishes his call.” Mac rolled her eyes, “yes, I understand it’s important. No I don’t know how long he’s going to be.” There were a few uh-huhs before she was finally able to hang up.

Business at Mars Investigations was improving. Solving Piz’s murder case and the resulting news coverage brought in some new cases, but the biggest bump came from her attorney, David Bartlitt.  He was impressed with the way she handled herself and admired her perseverance in pursing the case even after the shooting. He told her she had “moxie,” and then he put Mars Investigations on retainer. So far it was only locating witnesses or babysitting them, but there was potential. David Bartlitt, Esq. was in high demand for the wealthy California criminal.

“Where’s Wyatt?”

“Home with Logan.”

“Um, coffee is nice, but all future social calls need to involve my niece and that new baby smell.”

Veronica grinned, “do you have baby fever?”

“God, no. Can you imagine D…” She waited expectantly for her friend to finish the sentence, but Mac changed course, “me as a mother?”

“Uh, hello?” Veronica pointed to herself, “not exactly prize winning mother material here.”

Mac frowned at her, “you’re a great mother, well, except for leaving her alone with Logan. How do you think that’s going to play out?”

“With crying.”

“The baby or Logan?”

“Both.” They raised their cups in a silent toast to Logan’s first day alone with baby, tapped them together and each took a long sip. “I missed you friend. Not you, the coffee.”

“That’s a relief. I don’t need you growing any more attached to me than you already are, people are starting to talk.”

Veronica took another long sip of her latte. “I actually need you to do something for me. Get me everything you can on Trina Echolls.”

“How far back do you want me to go?” The question was tantalizing in its simplicity. Any information and research beyond the ten years was sure to involve Logan.

“I’d like to know where she’s been for the past ten years, but let’s limit the detailed information to the last year, maybe two?” Veronica didn’t know how long it took to get a movie up and running, but since this was a Trina run circus, she doubted it followed any industry standards. She filled Mac in on her conversation with Trina and the problems of sabotage. She pulled the script from her bag, _Dearly Departed_. Veronica rolled her eyes. “See if you can find any Hollywood gossip on the movie. What’s the right word? Buzz?”

“Anything else?”

“Last night Logan mentioned something about a completion bond as part of an insurance package. She doesn’t have one, but see if she has any other insurance.”

“I’ll start working on it now.”

Veronica opened the door to the office expecting to find her father, but the room was empty. “I thought he was on the phone?”

Mac shrugged, “I had to tell her something or I’d never get her off the phone. She’s called three times already.”

“Do you want me to call her back?”

She shook her head, “asked for your dad specifically.”

“Well if you need me I’ll be reading and enjoying my coffee.”

“Try not to have too much fun.”

Veronica reclined in the chair and put her feet on the desk. It took her an hour to read it through the first time. On her second pass, she took notes. The screenwriter was listed as J. Smith, _a pseudonym for Trina?_ _So far she was producer, director, and actress, why not screenwriter too?_ Veronica wrote the name down and added the names of the actors and actresses as they appeared in the screenplay.

The central family of the plot was an aging rock star and his one-hit-wonder groupie of a wife. They were played by Conner and Trina. Change rock star to actor and a case could be made for them being Aaron and Lynn. He was a serial cheater and she was a pill-popping alcoholic, but there was no suicide for mom and dad wasn’t a killer. Instead it was their daughter, Violet who was killed. Violet, Lilly the link was pretty obvious, but it was the description - _a peppy blonde cheerleader with a rebellious streak; full of life and backtalk and a penchant for boys_ – that really made Veronica think of Lilly. About twenty pages in, she’s strangled in her swimming pool and the rest of the movie is trying to figure out whodunit.

Trina was right. There were a lot of twists and turns, but some of the plot points were a little weak and the dialogue didn’t exactly sparkle. And that title, _Dearly Departed_? Ouch. Veronica knew the killer was Violet’s boyfriend midway through because of a few obvious clues, which could’ve been hidden better. _Is that why Trina was worried? Was she afraid Logan would see Violet as Lilly and then see himself as the killer boyfriend?_

There were echoes of Lilly’s murder in the plot and setting it in Neptune would make them resonate a little louder, but the story _was_ different. The characterizations were generic enough that you couldn’t specifically point to one and say that’s Aaron Echolls. A scene where the aging rock star beats his wife with the daughter as witness was very cinéma vérité and hard to read. Veronica wondered if a similar moment played out in the Echolls household and if so, how Trina knew about it. She was the one who insisted Logan’s abuse was a made up piece of fiction.

Reading the script didn’t offer a solution to her dilemma. She told Logan if the movie was about Lilly she wouldn’t work the case and while it was hardly a biopic, was it close enough for him to think she was breaking her promise?


	4. CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

Logan eyed the script like it was poison she was asking him to drink. “It won’t actually kill you.”

“Ah, you say that, but you also think your bacon is crispy.”

“You know if it’s cooking skills you’re after you could always marry Dick.”

He thoughtfully stroked his chin, “hmm, he _is_ a blonde.” Logan took her hand, “if you’re okay with it, I don’t need to read it.”

“But I want you to.” His gaze was intense, prodding and poking at her. He was trying to read her mind to determine why she wanted him to read it. “Stop that.”

“I’m not doing anything.” She disentangled their hands and walked into the kitchen. Despite his earlier protests, the breakfast dishes were washed and put away. The counters and table were both clean. Wyatt was fed and sleeping. _Face it Veronica he makes a better wife than you do._ She peeked into the living room. He was still lounging in the corner of the sofa with his feet propped on the coffee table staring balefully at the script in his lap.

She went to check on the baby. Her soft snoring made Veronica smile. She leaned over the crib and stroked her tiny head. It wasn’t actually a full two years, they were down to eighteen months now, but she was afraid they were going to be the longest months of her life. She loved Wyatt, loved being with her and she was looking forward to everything. The small firsts like rolling over, and sitting up and discovering her hands and feet. And the big firsts too; crawling and talking and walking, but Veronica didn’t think she was ready for the role of stay-at-home mom. _You can have your own reality show, Bored Housewives of Neptune._ The thought made her feel guilty.

She headed for the bathroom to get ready for tomorrow and her first day as personal assistant to Trina, _she better not ask me to get her coffee,_ Echolls _._ The list of actors and actresses she’d compiled while reading the script were mostly B-list, or maybe C-list, celebrities with names she didn’t recognize. She’d spent time researching them on IMDb and they were still unrecognizable to her with three notable exceptions.

Conner, whose action-star career began with promising roles in a few summer blockbusters, but was now predominately comprised of television guest spots; Chad Taylor, the killer boyfriend, current teen idol and fantasy guy for every girl under the age of eighteen and for quite a few women over it; and, Julie Hanson, the actress playing Violet. She was Hollywood’s ingénue-du-jour, usually typecast as the sweet, virginal, and naïve girl-next-door; playing Violet was going to be, in Hollywood parlance, stretching her chops.

The problem Veronica was having was an understanding of why. What was the point of the pranks? How many people on set knew that Trina didn’t have a completion bond? For that matter, how many people knew Trina was running out of money? If the point of the pranks was to shut down the production, they would have to be privy to that information and what would they stand to gain? Was it personal? Someone looking to bankrupt Trina for revenge? She didn’t really know enough about movie making to see any other reasons. Veronica wrapped herself in a towel and went to find Logan.

“Whoa, who’s the hot redhead and does Ronnie know you’re cheating?”

Logan wasn’t paying attention, he was reading the script. “Yeah, Dick she’s totally okay with it, she brings women home for me all the time. We share.” Dick pushed the back of his head, “what the fu…” He stopped mid-word when he saw Veronica. “What did you do?”

_A little warning might’ve been a good thing_. She combed her fingers through her newly shortened and colored hair. “It’s for tomorrow.” His frown eased and a slow, sexy smile spread across his face. Veronica swallowed.

“Can we call her Candy?” Dick’s question was a much needed bucket of cold water for the sudden and very hot thoughts produced by Logan’s wolfish grin.

“I’m sure she tastes delicious,” Logan abandoned the sofa and advanced on her, “go home Dick.” Wyatt chose that minute to wake up from her nap. He groaned in frustration, “I need to have a serious talk with my daughter about timing.”

Veronica shrugged, “eh. I say her timing was perfect.”

“You’re going to eat those words, Mars.”

She grinned and beat a hasty retreat before he decided to exact his revenge now. She fed and changed Wyatt and then got dressed. When she returned to the living room, Dick was gone and Logan was back to reading. “Where’d your future spouse go?”

Without missing a beat, he drolly responded, “out to register for china. We picked a simple pattern, white with a platinum band.”

She and Wyatt snuggled up next to him on the sofa. “Is that your new career? Logan Echolls, wedding planner?”

“I thought one of us should know how to do it and I figured it wouldn’t be you.” He tossed the script on the coffee table and took the baby from her.

“Me? What do I have to do with your wedding to Dick? Wait, am I the best man?”

“And the bachelor party entertainment.” He kissed her neck, “how do you feel about popping out of a cake naked?”

“Morally opposed.”

“How can you be morally opposed to cake? Too fattening?”

Veronica picked up the script before resting her head on his arm, “okay here’s what I can’t figure out.”

“How I can be this devastatingly handsome, smart _and_ funny too?”

“Aw sweetie, you keep telling yourself that, but it’s just not true.” She patted his knee, “why would you want to shut down the movie and would these harmless pranks really do that?”

“You realize the movie is going to suck, but you can’t get out of your contract?”

“Are you asking me or telling me?” He shrugged. “I’m guessing you didn’t like it?”

“It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read. Have you seen some of the crap they make in Hollywood these days? But I can see why a studio would take a pass on it.”

“Enlighten me.”

“It’s not big enough for a summer slate- no car chases, no explosions, no superheroes. It’s definitely not Oscar worthy and the mystery is weak. I knew it was the boyfriend at the crime scene.”

“At the crime scene? I don’t think so.”

“Aw _sweetie_ , did you not figure it out?” It was his turn to pat her knee condescendingly. “First if there’s a pool with a girl swimming alone at night and it’s not porn, she’s dying. The strangling thing is dumb. Not enough of a visual. You need blood in the water. Second, she’s strangled with a belt and the scene right before, and I mean right before, was the boyfriend getting dressed in a suit with a belt.”

“So?”

“The screenwriter made too big a deal of the belt. The guy actually _talks_ about his belt. You’ve seen me get dressed. Have I ever held up my belt and told you…what’s the line? Something ridiculous about hand-tooled leather?”

“To be fair, I usually don’t pay that much attention to you when you’re getting dressed. _Un_ dressed, that’s an entirely different story.”

“Which we will explore in greater detail later.”

She smiled, “if you cut the belt scene, it’s still obvious the boyfriend is the killer long before the end of the movie. In the scene where…” Veronica started flipping through the pages to find what she wanted and stopped on page five. Logan had written notes in the margin. She slowly turned the pages, he’d written notes throughout the entire script and they were good. “Are you a frustrated screenwriter?”

“I’m frustrated, but it has very little to do with words.” He sounded distracted. Veronica looked up from the script. He’d drawn his knees up, cradled Wyatt between his legs so she was facing him and was playing peek-a-boo. The baby was smiling and gurgling. Whenever he looked at Wyatt, his expression was unguarded and happy. The five hundred pictures he joked about her taking were Veronica trying to capture that exact look. He stroked his finger across the bottoms of her feet and smiled. She would make a hundred babies with him if it meant him always being this blissful.

_Back to work Veronica, before you completely lose your edge and turn to goo._ “Why would two well-known, up-and-coming stars agree to be in the movie?”

“Chad Taylor and Julie Hanson?” She nodded, “Best guess? They want to play something against type. Taylor seems destined to be the lead in all those dimwitted romantic comedies _Wallace_ enjoys so much. Maybe he’s hoping playing a killer will break him out of that mold. Same reason for Hanson. She wants to ditch little miss innocent and play the slutty…” A slight frown and then he withdrew; first in his closed expression and then by leaving the sofa with Wyatt. “You keep working and we’ll make dinner.”

“Pizza sounds good. Order from Cho’s and get me a lemon grass linguini please.”

“Pizza? I was going to cook.”

“Sure you were.” Veronica hunted through the pages for the fight between Violet’s parents. It was blank. Not one note or comment from Logan anywhere. She followed him into the kitchen and waited until he was done ordering. “Do you think Violet is Lilly?”

“Do you?” _The best defense was a good offense._

“I think she’s supposed to be, but whoever wrote this, didn’t know Lilly at all, only what they read about her in the papers during the trial.”

“What did they get wrong?” His question surprised her. During the twenty minutes of screen time before she gets killed and then in three flashback sequences, Violet was an unmitigated bitch. Not to say Lilly didn’t have her moments, but the real bitchiness was mostly reserved for her mother. _No surprise there, Celeste Kane, could make Mother Theresa bitchy._ The screenwriter missed the joie de vivre that was Lilly. The, life is grand; let’s enjoy everything while we can, Lilly. Her spirit and sense of adventure were nowhere to be found in the character of moody, angry Violet.

Granted, she didn’t _date_ Lilly. She wasn’t cheated on and dumped repeatedly. Lilly didn’t try to make her jealous by sleeping with her friends and flaunting every new boy-toy in her face. _And she didn’t sleep with your father at the same time she was sleeping with you, Veronica_. Not for the first time she wondered if Lilly had waited until she ended things with Logan before having sex with Aaron. Veronica frowned and what about the abuse? She’d seen Logan’s scars, there was no way Lilly could’ve missed them, naked, during sex, while they were still fresh? How could she sleep with Aaron knowing he did those things to his child?

“Go ahead and ask Veronica, I can see you’re dying to _communicate_ about it.”

“I don’t know, Logan. You and I…” The raw fear in his eyes made her stop and try again, “what I mean is, Trina came back at the wrong time.”

“When is there a right time for Trina?”

She sighed. “We have enough issues here in the present without us trying to have conversations we should’ve had years ago.”

“What are you trying to say?” The fear was back and he pulling away.

“See that right there? Any time I try to bring up something even remotely serious, you back down. I don’t want to play house with you Logan. We’re adults now. Either we’re going to work on it or we’re not. You decide.”

Veronica was stunned as she watched him walk out of the room. _Why did you have to push him?_ She wanted to chase after him or call him back, but she did neither. Wyatt, their home, marriage, the future was he really walking away from all of it. “Logan?”

He returned without the baby. “I didn’t want her to see us fight.”

“Is that what we’re going to do?”

“You tell me.” He leaned against the counter, not looking at her. “You tell me what you want from me Veronica and I’ll do it. You want to forget our deal? Done. You want to know every detail of my childhood? Give me a pen and I’ll start writing it down. Want to know about Lilly? Ask.”

“Why did you join the Navy?”

His confusion was apparent. “Direction. My life was out of control.” He shrugged, “I didn’t really care about anyone or anything. I was doing some pretty sketchy and dangerous things Veronica.”

“And why are you leaving the Navy?”

He blew out a pent-up sigh of frustration, “we went over this. I’m leaving for Wyatt. I want to come home every night. I don’t want to spend six months out of every twelve away from her on training and deployments.”

“Would you feel the same way if I was a secretary or a housewife or if I opened a nice, quiet law firm and prepared contracts all day?”

“But you don’t.”

“No, I don’t.”

The doorbell rang. “Guess that’s the end of round one,” was his parting shot as he left to get the pizza. When he returned, he tossed the food on the kitchen table, “ready for round two, or should we eat first?”

“Does your decision have anything to do with Parker?”

“Round two it is then, or is this still the first since the topic hasn’t changed? I don’t think you understand, when the bell rings that’s the end of the round. You won by the way.”

“I can do without the sarcasm.”

“No you can’t.” He sat at the table and cradled his head in his hands. “Yes. Is that what you want me to say? You almost _died_ , Veronica and I wasn’t here. If you weren’t pregnant, I wouldn’t have been able to come home for you.”

She touched his shoulder, “what do you mean?”

“ _Family_ emergency leave; Wyatt, not you. The Navy wouldn’t let me come home for my girlfriend. I could’ve been on that ship, while you were _dying_ , and not known.”

Veronica sat. His return to duty two days after Parker’s arrest kept them from talking about it. When he came home, it was a rush of activity, trying to get them moved into the house before the baby arrived. Then Wyatt was born and he was gone again for another twelve days. She left the table to get plates and silverware. She could feel him watching her. “Will you teach me how to shoot?”

He fell back in his seat like she’d punched him. “What?”

“I’m going to buy a gun.”

“Veronica, if this is your way of making me feel better, you suck at it.”

She rejoined him at the table. “I’ve been thinking about it since Parker, but I didn’t want to tell you. I wasn’t sure of your reaction.”

His response was quiet, “you can’t point a gun at someone unless you’re prepared to pull the trigger. Are you? Could you live with the consequences?”

_Could she?_ She remembered the fear of seeing Parker holding that gun on Logan. Too many things could’ve gone wrong. She could’ve heard the door open. Logan could’ve moved the baseball bat. At any point in her walk across the house, Parker could’ve turned and spotted her. Then what? Her baseball bat was no defense against a gun. “I would’ve shot Parker.”

He studied her for a long time. “Okay. I’ll teach you how to shoot.”

They silently ate pizza. “When you walked out of the kitchen with Wyatt, I thought you were leaving,” she confessed.

“How are we going to move past this? You tell me you’re not going anywhere and I hear the words, but…nine years is a long time Veronica.”

“It was for me too.”

“Are you sure? Forget about Wyatt for a minute and look at me. We had two weeks together before I shipped out and they were amazing, but we’re making lifetime decisions here. Understand me; I don’t want to play house with you either. I want it. All or nothing. Not because we have Wyatt, but because you want me.”

_Life without Logan_? Her mind rejected the idea. “I’m here. Not because of Wyatt. I want to be here, with you, but you have to stop. It’s too much pressure. I can’t watch what I say and dance around issues because you get that look in your eyes. The uh-oh I’ve fucked up, Veronica is going to leave now, look.”

“It’s going to take time.”

She adopted a gentle teasing tone, “can you give me a hint? A week, ten days? A month?”

“Let me check my calendar and get back to you.” He smiled, “dancing around issues? When were you doing that, I seem to have missed it.”

“Now I’m insulted. You haven’t noticed my restraint and lack of questions? My easygoing attitude and extreme patience?”

“That’s what all this has been? What a relief. I thought living with you was going to be hard.” He put down his pizza and turned serious again. “I loved Lilly, but I don’t necessarily think it was healthy. It didn’t matter how she treated me or what she did, I just took it. She would snap her fingers and I would come running. I don’t know if she was sleeping with my dad while we were still together, but I like to think she wasn’t.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

He continued as if she hadn’t said anything. “She didn’t know about the abuse because I didn’t tell her. Whenever it was bad, I did something to make her break up with me. Or, I would start a fight with someone and blame my injuries on that. My reputation was well deserved, but not for the reasons people assumed. I don’t think Violet is Lilly and I don’t identify with the killer boyfriend. I do think the aging rock star and the pill-popping wife are my parents. And that fight? It happened exactly like that, almost word for word, but it wasn’t only Trina who witnessed it, I was there too and I was eight.”

 


	5. CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

Their conversation wouldn't leave her alone. It replayed in her head making sleep impossible. ' _I was there too and I was eight.'_  The idea of Logan having to witness that made her ache.

' _How could Trina see that and not believe Aaron was hurting you?'_

' _It's not that she doesn't, not really…denial is just Trina's way of dealing_.' Veronica sat up in bed and pulled her knees to her chest. Her fingers grazed his cheek and stroked his hair. His night started as restless as hers, but he was finally asleep.

' _Were there other fights?'_

' _She used to try and stop him, you know, from hitting me, but…'_

Her eyes moved beyond Logan to Wyatt in her bassinet. They'd started to transition her to her crib, but tonight he'd insisted on the bassinet. His hand was palm up on the mattress next to her with his fingers lightly resting against her side. Her tiny hand lay in the center of his palm.

' _As I got older, she stopped trying.'_

Veronica didn't understand.  _Stopped trying? How did you stop trying? How did you let it happen in the first place?_ If someone _, anyone_ , tried to hurt Wyatt, they'd have to get through her first. Her and Logan.

' _It's hard to pay attention from the bottom of a bottle, Veronica_.'

She was still awake at five thirty when her alarm was set to go off. She shut it before it could wake them and carefully left the bed to get ready. Veronica didn't want to leave them, but she was due on the set by seven. She got ready in the guest room so she wouldn't disturb them, started the coffee for him, and left the house.

Her new red hair and thick glasses were good enough to fool Trina from a distance. She stalked across the yard preparing to throw the unwanted visitor off her set. When she got closer, she smiled. "Not bad. Conner won't suspect a thing."

"I thought he wasn't due on set today?"

"He wasn't, but we changed some things around. Here are the sides." Trina handed her some pages. "I'll introduce you to everyone, Andrea right?"

Veronica nodded. She held out her hand to stop Trina from walking away, "before we go over there. Logan and I both read the script." Veronica handed it to her, "did you write it?"

"Logan read it?" She frowned, "No, I didn't write it, not all of it. There were one or two scenes…did he read the whole thing?"

"Yes. He made some notes. You should read them, they're pretty good."

"Did he…was he mad?"

Either Trina's acting skills had improved considerably in the past ten years or she was genuinely concerned about Logan's reaction. "You must have realized I would show it to him."

She shook her head, "I didn't think."

Those three words seemed to sum up Trina,  _I didn't think_ , but Veronica was feeling a little more charitable toward her this morning;  _denial is just Trina's way of dealing_. "Let's just do this."

Trina did very little in the way of introducing her to anyone. She passed her off on the assistant director "Matt" and asked him to show her around. "Here's your radio. It's a good idea to carry at least two extra hot bricks with you and you should try to remember everyone's name. Do you have the call sheets? Check the names against the sheets, it will help you to memorize." He moved ahead at a rapid clip. "Nancy took the breakfast orders this morning, but starting tomorrow that's your job. Make sure you get exactly what they ask for and don't ask them too many questions, they don't like it."

_Wrong job for you Veronica_. She used the brief pause in his speech to ask, "hot bricks?"

Matt stopped short and stared at her, "have you ever worked on a movie set before?"

"Am I that obvious?"

She could see the internal debate play out on his face; continue to show her around the set or write her off as a lost cause. Lost cause won. "Trina!" He abandoned her and went to discuss her qualifications or lack thereof with the illustrious director.

Veronica breathed a sigh of relief. She headed back toward the driveway and the trailers parked there. She knocked on the door of the first one she came to. It swung open to reveal Chad Taylor. "What do you want?" He strung all the words together 'whadyawant,' until it was almost undecipherable.

"I came to get your breakfast order."

"Did that other chick lose it?" Veronica just shrugged. "Incompetent fucking people. I want an egg white omelet with spinach, four egg whites and  _fresh_  spinach with American cheese melted on top. Not processed cheese, real cheese and not  _in_  the omelet, but on top. Think you can handle that?" Before she could ask him any questions, he pulled the door shut.

_That was very successful_. The next trailer was Conner. "Do you need me on set?" Without waiting for a reply, he bounded down the two steps and slammed the trailer door behind him.

"Uh, no, they're not ready for you yet."  _At least I hope they aren't._ Logan was wrong, his abs weren't gone. They still looked spectacular, but Logan's were better. She grinned. "I was just collecting breakfast orders."

"I already gave mine to Nancy." Points for Conner, he knew her name and didn't refer to her as "chick."

"It's my first day and at the rate I'm going, it might be my last day too."

"How did you get the job?"

"Nepotism is still alive and well." He started walking toward the yard and Veronica joined him. "I hear the last P.A. quit because of all the pranks on set?"

He paused, "where did you hear that?"

Before she could answer him, screams erupted from the yard. Trailer doors flew open and people started running in the direction of the pool. Veronica took off after Conner and came to a skidding halt at the sight of all the chaos. There were guys running across the yard and everyone was yelling.

"Don't touch her!"

"Don't touch anything!"

"Get back from the water!"

"Someone cut the fucking generator!"

"Oh my God, Julie!"

They were all surrounding the pool at a safe distance. Veronica edged through them for a closer look. Julie Hanson was floating in the water, her blonde hair splayed around her. One of the lights was at the bottom of the pool still attached to a very lethal thick black cable. Veronica glanced up at the elaborate erector set and the large gaping space where the light used to be.

"Is it safe? Do we pull her out?"

"No one goes into the pool."

"But what if she's still alive?"

"Does she look like she's still alive? Where the fuck is the emergency crew?"

Even as he was asking, they were already there. Veronica backed away from the scene and went to find Trina. She was standing near the camera, turned away from the pool. Her entire body was shaking. Veronica lightly touched her shoulder, "Trina?"

She whirled around and gripped Veronica's arm. "Oh my God Veronica, it was awful." Tears were streaming down her face. Veronica slipped an arm around her and led her toward one of the director chairs. "She'd just gotten in the water and…and…is she? Did they? Were…" Her face crumpled and she started crying in earnest.

Veronica turned back toward the scene. They'd pulled Julie from the water. An EMT with a portable defibrillator was trying to shock her heart. He shook his head at his partner. They tried manual CPR again while the machine recharged and he shocked her again. Another head shake. They were still working on her and Veronica was still with Trina when Lamb and his deputies arrived.

_Logan_. She needed to call him now before this was all over the news. "Trina, Trina." She raised her head, "I have to call Logan. Stay right here."

Veronica skirted away from the action and out of sight of the Sheriff's Department. "Hey you, how's your first day on set?"

"I'm okay and Trina's okay, we're both fine."

"You're scaring me Veronica."

"It's Julie Hanson, she's dead Logan. Someone electrocuted her in the swimming pool." He didn't respond. She knew his first reaction would be a demand for her to come home and his second instinct would be to insist on coming to her. Neither of which was possible. She couldn't leave the scene and he couldn't come here with Wyatt.

"Is Lamb there yet?" His voice was tightly controlled.

"Yes, he's separating witnesses and waiting for the coroner." And it was probably not a good idea for him to find her skulking in the bushes. "I have to go. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Stay safe." She disconnected the call and put her phone away. Trina was not where she left her. Veronica scanned the lawn. There weren't enough deputies for Lamb to assign one to every witness, but he'd corralled all the witnesses together and moved them back toward the trailers. She worked her way over there. Being short sometimes had its advantages. She slipped into the back of the crowd behind Conner. The deputy in charge was reminding them not to talk to each other.

Veronica took off her fake glasses and slipped them into her purse. No need for Lamb to think she was hiding anything. She regretted the decision to dye her hair instead of wearing a wig.  _Does it really matter Veronica? If he can, Lamb will try to have this pinned on you by lunch._ She pushed the thought away and concentrated on the crowd. Most of them were crew members she didn't know. She made sure she was well hidden behind Conner and started writing a list. First, the names of the actors and actresses she recognized from her IMDb search. Then she wrote down Matt, Trina and the name Nancy with a question mark. Finally it was a quick, one or two word description of everyone else; something to help her later when trying to put names to all the faces. She counted the list, forty people.

It was going to take them all day to get to her if she stayed back here and she was going to have to pump soon. Veronica wound her way to the front. Lamb's intense hatred could work for her or against her. Either he would spot her in the crowd and decide to make her wait or he would enjoy singling her out and interview her first, but it wasn't Lamb who came for them, it was Norris. "Veronica Mars."

"I know, of all the crime scenes in all the towns, in all the world, I walk into yours, right?"

He shook his head, "come on, let's go."

They'd commandeered one of the trailers to conduct their interviews. Conner's trailer. He let her go first. It was nicer inside than out. A black leather banquette was along the far wall across from a flat panel television. Next to the television was a built-in table flanked by bench seating. A full size refrigerator was next to that and at the back of the trailer was a large makeup mirror.

Veronica wasn't sure it was the smartest idea for them to be using the trailer of not only a witness, but a potential suspect, for their questioning. She gave a mental shrug. If this was the worst mistake Lamb made when conducting his investigation, she'd be surprised. She put her hands in her pockets to make sure she didn't touch anything. Eventually, they might get around to realizing this was part of their crime scene and she didn't want her fingerprints anywhere.

Being interviewed by Norris was going to be more difficult than Lamb. With Lamb she would limit her answers to only what she witnessed on set,  _nothing_ , and, if he bothered to ask why she was here, give him a vague  _visiting Trina_. She didn't want to withhold information from Norris, her only ally at the Sheriff's Department.

"Nice hair by the way."

"Uh, thanks."

"So either you've taken up acting or…" He waited for her to fill in the blank and when she didn't, he sighed. "Definitely the  _or_. Why are you here Veronica?"

"Here? In this trailer?" She shrugged, "you're the one who pulled me in here, and whatever you have in mind, you should know, I'm taken."

He humored her, "how's the baby?"

Veronica smiled, "Beautiful."

"Isn't this where you whip out baby pictures and spend an hour telling me a cute story about how she drooled on you this morning?"

"Deputy Norris, I'm not that kind of girl."

He shook his head, "what are you doing here?"

"Logan's sister, Trina is directing."  _Not as vague as visiting Trina, but still not very forthcoming Veronica_. "She asked me to look into some pranks,"  _pranks no longer seemed the right word for the situation_ , "sabotage happening on set."

That got his interest, but she didn't elaborate. "Are you going to fill me in or should I bring you down to the station in handcuffs?"

"Kinky."

" _Veronica,"_ he was losing patience.

"Okay, here's what I'm thinking. I'll fill you in and you keep my name out of it. As far as the official record of this interview, I was visiting Trina on set and I was standing near this trailer with Conner Larkin when the light fell in the pool. I didn't see anything and I know nothing."

"That's your story?"

"And I'm sticking to it."  _The Bonnie and Clyde of Neptune were not embarking on a new crime spree_. "Being arrested for another crime I didn't commit is not on my agenda for the day."

"Well I guess it's official then, Veronica Mars knows nothing," he grinned. "Now do you want to tell me what's really going on?"

She gave him a brief summary of the sabotage; dulling spray, missing film, broken generator, and then explained Trina's finances. "My guess is someone tampered with the light and possibly the generator. Isn't there supposed to be a fail-safe; something that cuts the electrical current when it comes in contact with water?"

Norris nodded, "a ground fault circuit interrupter, like in your typical bathroom outlets. I don't know about movie lights."

"You should talk to the gaffer." At his baffled expression, it was her turn to grin. "What? It's the only word I've learned. The gaffer is the head electrician in charge of the lights. Hey, you don't happen to know what a  _hot brick_  is, do you?"

He ignored her, "and your prime suspect?"

"Don't have one. Today was my first day on set."  _Your first day on set and a murder happens, what are the odds? It was like a very bad episode of Murder, She Wrote._  "They were going to film this scene yesterday, but…didn't. Trina told me this morning they made some changes to the schedule, you should ask her about it."

"I will, thanks. Anything else?"

"They were actually  _filming_ ; you might want to secure the cameras before the footage disappears. Hollywood starlet electrocuted in pool on set of her final movie? Just throwing it out there, but I bet someone would pay big bucks for that exclusive video."

Norris left her, presumably to do exactly as she suggested. Veronica took it as her cue that they were done. Hopefully, he bothered to tell someone she was free to leave the scene. When no one stopped her, she assumed he did. Habit made her park off to the side by the service entrance, but it still took some maneuvering to free her car from the congestion of vehicles on the driveway. She coasted down the drive and thought about waiting for Trina and then changed her mind. If she waited for her, what would she do with her? She'd promised Logan not to bring her to the house and home was where Veronica was heading.

Crime scene vans and the coroner's wagon were pulling into the drive and she skirted around them. It was a madhouse at the gate. News vans were arriving, neighbors were trying to get peeks over the walls, and one photographer with a long lens had climbed up into the trees to snap pictures. There weren't enough deputies to handle the overflow. Veronica slumped down in her seat and prayed she wouldn't end up on the evening news.  _I've had enough of that, thanks_.

When she pulled up to the house, Logan was installing a porch swing. It was so incongruous to see him doing manual labor and working with power tools, she almost pulled out of the driveway in search of her actual house. "Whatcha doin?"

"Trying to not think about you socializing with a killer." He kept his back to her and finished screwing the porch swing hanger into the joist.

"It wasn't exactly social, but I did invite him for dinner later." Logan still wasn't looking at her. Wyatt was on the porch with him. Safely strapped in to her bouncer and carrying on her own "conversation," one syllable sounds, punctuated with gurgles. Veronica sat on the floor and turned the seat so they were facing each other, "hey, sweet pea, are you having fun with Daddy?" Wyatt's tiny hands curled around her fingers and Veronica lifted them to her mouth for kisses.

When she looked up, Logan was staring at them. "I love to watch you with her."

"Ah, he speaks."

"This was my attempt at great restraint and extreme patience." His eyes roamed all over her before dropping to his knees beside her.

"Really? It looked a lot like cold indifference."

He smiled and pulled her against him, "like I could ever be indifferent to you." His hands traveled the same path his eyes took moments earlier. They toyed with her hair, grazed over her cheek, slid down her arm and finally skimmed over her hip and slowly down her thigh.

"See, all in one piece."

"And what a fine piece you are." He placed a whisper soft kiss on her mouth. "Are you really okay?" Veronica nodded. "Tell me what happened."

"There's not much to tell. I didn't actually see it. They had the trailers set up along the drive and I was there talking to Conner when the screaming started. By the time I reached the yard it was all over."

"How was she electrocuted?" There was a hitch in his voice and a wounded, soft look in his eyes.

_Is he thinking about Carrie?_  An old, familiar feeling surfaced and Veronica stomped it down before answering, "one of the lights fell into the pool. I'm thinking someone tampered with them and…"

He was shaking his head. "The lights were suspended over the pool?" She nodded. "The grips would've put that rigging up this morning. They would've double-checked,  _triple-checked_  that they were safe."

Veronica frowned. Yesterday when she made Trina shut everything down, she argued with someone. Tall, slender guy; sneakers, black jeans, black t-shirt, and a ball cap. He jumped down from the lights, yelling about something. Veronica didn't hear what he said, but Trina's response was clear;  _fine, leave it there_.


	6. CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

Calling Trina was her excuse to leave the porch and put some space between her and Logan.  _We had a good first year, a year of being in love_. Logan loved Carrie just as he had loved Lilly before her.  _The love of my life-_ that was how he referred to Lilly. Veronica was in love with only one man in her entire life and he was walking into the house carrying their daughter. How do you make a grown woman feel insecure? Have her date her high school boyfriend. Veronica sighed and tried calling Trina again. It went to voice mail.

There was Duncan, but she realized long ago that her feelings for him weren't love. The first time around was being in love with the fairy tale, not the actual boy. It was the teenage dream; the most popular and handsome boy in high school was her boyfriend. The second time around was just her search for normal and a way to hide from her feelings for Logan. Logan scared her. It wasn't just his vast experience with women; it was the way he made her feel. The way he still made her feel.

He was on the floor with Wyatt, but he was watching Veronica with a wary expression in his eyes.  _Just talk to him about it_. She shrugged off the idea and tried Trina again. This time she answered, "where did you go Veronica? Lamb grilled me for  _hours_ ; I could've used your help."

She almost said,  _I'm not a lawyer Trina_ , but that wasn't true.  _Well, I'm not Trina's lawyer_. "What sort of questions did Lamb ask you?"

At the mention of Lamb, Logan's attention returned to Veronica and he carefully studied her face. She schooled her features into a mask of unconcerned calm. "He asked about pranks on the set," there was a slight accusing tone to her words, "and why someone would want to sabotage my movie."

"Anything else?" Worry lines creased Logan's brow. Veronica gave him a reassuring smile.

"He wanted to know if anyone had any problems with Julie."

"And you told him?" Veronica was losing her patience.  _Now I know how Norris felt earlier_.

"Well…Conner and Julie weren't getting along and, I…Julie and I sorta had a fight on set this morning."

"A fight?" A frowning Logan abandoned the floor and started to hover.  _Time to end the conversation, Veronica_. "Tell me where you're staying and I'll come meet you. I need to get the names and contact information for the cast and crew."  _And I need to get out of the house for awhile._

"I'm at the Neptune Grand."

 _Of course she was. Why would she consider saving money by staying at a Motel 6?_  "Give me twenty…" Logan started motioning for the phone, "uh, Logan wants to talk to you, hang on." She passed him the cell.

"Are you okay?" He started pacing, "it's not." Logan paused at the door to the kitchen, "he's an idiot." When he turned back toward Veronica, a sad and wistful expression was on his face. "Veronica will figure it out, Reen." He nodded, "yeah." A quick shake of his head, "no it's…don't worry about it." Only hearing one side of the conversation was driving her crazy. He smirked and opened his mouth to say something and then promptly shut it. Indecision replaced the smirk, "no, I don't want her to…" More nodding, "you can come here."

Veronica blinked.  _Interesting. What happened to, I don't want Trina here?_  Logan resumed his pacing. "Dinner?" He closed his eyes and shook his head, "yes, Trina, still allergic." An eye roll, "sure, happens all the time," dripping sarcasm. "Five." He stopped pacing and glanced at Wyatt, "probably sleeping." Long pause, "uh, that's what babies do." A deep sigh, "uh-huh, yeah." He disconnected the call and tossed Veronica's cell on the sofa.

She waited for him to fill her in and got exactly nothing. "So…"

"I need to call Weevil."

"Weevil?"

Logan ignored her and used her phone. Another smirk, "hey Chico, you'll have to come cut my grass tomorrow." A genuine smile, "I can handle the trim by myself." A glance at her, "I get no complaints." She frowned. He moved the phone from his mouth, puckered his lips and blew her a kiss. Whatever Weevil said next made him turn serious, "my sister is coming over. Yeah, tomorrow." The smirk returned, "shower first. Need to keep our oceans clean and we don't want to get fined for a grease spill." He laughed and hung up.

"You had plans with  _Weevil_?" Veronica surveyed him from head to toe, "where's Logan? What did you do with him?"

"It depends, what are  _you_  going to do to him?" It was too hard to resist the teasing, flirting Logan.

"It depends," she smiled, "what will he  _let_  me do?"

"Anything you want sugarpuss." He took a step toward her, "wait, why do I suddenly get the feeling we're talking about different things?"

She tilted her head, "maybe you  _are_  smart."

He grinned, "don't forget to add the devastatingly handsome and funny."

"I didn't forget them; I just remain unconvinced that they're true." Logan growled and scooped her up in his arms. "Um, Wyatt is here."

"How do you think she got here?" His mouth covered hers and a small sigh parted her lips. His tongue took it as an invitation. It moved languidly through her mouth, exploring and teasing the sensitive warm flesh. Veronica couldn't breathe. She buried her hands in his hair and pulled him closer. It was intoxicating; the taste of him, the feel of his tongue against hers. Her moan drove him deeper. She wrenched her mouth away and drew a long shaky breath. Logan pressed their foreheads together and kissed her nose. "I love you."

 _Love_. Veronica's chest constricted and she sucked in more air. Of their own volition, her fingertips traced his bottom lip. Keeping her tone light, she conceded, "okay you win. I'm convinced, devastatingly handsome and funny too."

"Hmm, is it really that simple? I can win all our disagreements just by kissing you?"

"You did pull out the big guns there."

He waved away her words, "merely a taste of what I'm capable of."

She closed her eyes. "I know."

"And with great power comes great responsibility." Logan set her down at a safe distance from him. "So when's your next doctor's appointment?"

Veronica shook her head, "eager much?"

"Eh, not really." He shrugged, "I was more worried about your inability to keep your hands off me." She made a face. "What are you going to do when Wyatt starts making faces at you? Are you going to pull out the old mom standard, your face will freeze that way?"

"Clichés? Really, you think I can't come up with something better than a cliché?"

"I'm sure you and your smart mouth will have plenty to say."

"You love my smart mouth."

"I like it better when it does less talking and more bl…"

"Logan!" Her cheeks flushed.

He grinned. "Okay, so what's it going to be Mars? Weevil or Trina?" He sat on the sofa and pulled her down next to him. "You're cute when you're facing a quandary."

"Quandary?"

"A state of being perplexed over what to do when faced with a difficult situation. Should I ask him what his plans were with Weevil or why he invited Trina to the house? Decisions, decisions."

She poked him in the ribs, "stay out of my head Echolls." Veronica bit her bottom lip, refusing to give him the satisfaction of asking any questions. The longer she remained silent, the wider his grin.  _Damn my curiosity_.

A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest, "since I live only to satisfy you…" He planted a quick kiss on her temple, "I didn't want you to leave. Having Trina come here means you stay put."

"She's bringing dinner?"

He sighed, "yeah, she wanted to know if I've outgrown my allergy to shellfish."

Veronica bit back her smile; his sarcastic  _sure, happens all time_ , now made sense. She twined her fingers through his, "you seemed sad."

"Lamb scared her; he thinks she did it." Logan's words,  _he's an idiot_ , were before the sad expression appeared on his face. Trina's fear was not the reason for that look. "She volunteered to take the fight scene out of the movie."

"That's good."

He shrugged, "I told her to leave it."

She shifted in her seat to see his face, "why?"

"What does it matter Veronica? They're both dead." He smirked, "and it's the best scene in the entire movie."

 _They're both dead._  Averting her face, she settled back against the sofa and rested her head on his arm. If he was okay leaving the scene in the movie, it wasn't her place to argue with him. It was after all,  _his_  past. Those old feelings tugged at her again, threatening her equilibrium. Logan was staring at her. She could feel his eyes boring into the side of her head.

"She called me Logie, hasn't done that since I was," he held out a hand low to the floor, "knee high to a grasshopper." The attempt at humor fell flat. "Man, we're fucked up… thanks  _Dad_."

"You've changed a lot Logan."  _He's changed a lot, Veronica._  She stroked her thumb along his hand, "maybe it's a good thing she's back; you two can talk…work things out."

He seemed unconvinced. "Yeah, maybe."

She frowned at their joined hands.  _Just talk to him about it_. That thought was immediately followed by,  _evade and deflect_. She chose the latter and tentatively asked, "Weevil?"

"It was no big deal. We were gonna meet at the beach and talk."

"Talk?"

"It's this strange custom wherein someone says something and then you respond and they say something else." He shrugged, "It seems weird to me too. I mean, why waste all that time when there's no sex involved?" She stiffened. Logan misunderstood her reaction and dropped the teasing tone, "it's just that when he was here for the party with Jade and Valentina, he…he was happy Veronica."

She nodded. When Weevil showed up at the house with his wife and daughter, Veronica took it as a good sign. All three of them looked happy, not just Weevil. She was hoping that it meant things were going well with them. "Did she move back home?"

"No." He sighed, "I get it you know, trying to put the past behind you, be a better man for your wife and kid. Weevil was doing it and then…" Physically, he was still sitting next to her, but he was gone. For a minute he retreated to that unreachable place, "sometimes the past comes back to bite you in the ass."

_Yes, it does._

Wyatt started to fuss; awake and hungry. She wasn't crying yet, but it was only a matter of time. Veronica disentangled their hands and stood. Logan touched her arm, "is something wrong?"

"I need to feed the baby." A deep frown creased his brow, but he didn't say anything. Veronica picked up Wyatt and disappeared down the hall.  _It's just all this talk about the past_.  _We'll chalk this up to hormones and let it go_. The blinds were drawn on the windows leaving the nursery dark and quiet. Foregoing the lights, she settled into the rocking chair to feed Wyatt.

It would be nice if quieting her thoughts were as simple as closing a blind and shutting some lights. If Carrie hadn't been murdered, he wouldn't have called her. He'd finally moved on with his life. Instead of Logan Echolls, son of a movie star, accused of murdering his popstar girlfriend, would it have been Logan Echolls  _marries_  popstar girlfriend? She shook her head.  _What did you expect Veronica that he'd wait for you forever?_

Voices from the living room let her know when Trina arrived. "Okay little Wylee, let's go put the screws to your Aunt Trina." The baby gurgled and smiled. "Don't get too excited. Daddy will never let you be a detective; I think he's already reserved your spot in the convent."

They were in the dining room. It was a beautiful space. A large bay window offered an expansive view of the ocean and Logan had lit a fire in the stone fireplace. A pine farmhouse table with curved ladderback chairs and a matching hutch from Pottery Barn gave the room a warm, homey feel. Veronica wanted to turn around and flee.

"I brought Chinese food, hope that's okay?" The bags were emptied and the white cardboard containers were spread across the table. They'd already gotten plates and silverware and Logan had brought in Wyatt's bouncer. There was nothing else they needed. Nothing Veronica could come up with that would allow her a reason to leave the room.

If her kicking and fussing was any indication, Wyatt didn't want to sit in her bouncer. "I'll take her, you eat." Logan held his arms out for the baby and Veronica reluctantly let him have her. Concern filled his eyes and she turned away.

"Did you bring the names and contact information for the cast and crew?"

"Lamb sealed the production office, but I brought you everything I have."

For something to do, Veronica filled a plate with food. It didn't matter what it was because she wasn't hungry. "Why weren't Conner and Julie getting along?"

Trina and Logan exchanged an unreadable look. "Let's eat first and then you and Trina can talk."

"I can do two things at once," she snapped. "Conner and Julie?"

"They were sleeping together."

"Were?"  _If Julie broke things off with him it could give Conner a motive to want her dead._  "Do you know who ended it?"

Trina shrugged, "I'm not sure they were done. He told me it was over, but I… I didn't think so." She gnawed at her bottom lip.

There was something in the way she said it. "Were you sleeping with him too?" Her answer was obvious from her expression. "I don't know why I bothered to ask. That's just how the Echolls siblings roll." Veronica shook off the thought and took a bite of her Sesame Chicken. "Is that why you and Julie fought?"

Trina nodded. "She said she could have him back whenever she wanted." She widened her eyes and coyly batted her lashes at Veronica. Then in a prim British accent said, "oh Trina don't be daft, it's just a little slap and tickle." Her impression of Julie Hanson was perfect. Apparently, Trina's acting skills  _had_  gotten better.

"Does Lamb know?" While it was a motive for Conner, it was also a motive for Trina. Killing her younger rival to clear the path to Conner would make a juicy story for the tabloids and that meant headlines.  _Forget whiskers on kittens, headlines were one of Lamb's favorite things_.

"Everyone knows. Julie created a big scene, she adores the attention."  _Glass houses and stones, anyone?_  "Lamb thinks I did it Veronica."

"He's an idiot." Logan smirked at her use of his earlier words and she smiled. The two of them could write the book on the idiocy of Dan Lamb and his brother. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels could play them in the movie version.  _Oh wait, they already did_. "Did everyone know you were running out of money?"

"Conner knew so he could've told Julie."

"Ah, pillow talk." Veronica pushed her chicken through the sauce, lifted her fork and then put it back down without taking a bite. "Will you be able to continue filming?"

"I will now." Her eyes didn't meet Veronica's. "There was an insurance policy."

Logan groaned, "you had cast insurance." He turned to Veronica, "it's like a key man policy. If something happens to one of your stars, the production company gets paid. When John Candy died during filming, the producers collected something like fifteen million."

Her fork paused midway to her mouth, "dollars?"

"No Tic Tacs," his smile softened the words. "Yes dollars." He glanced at Trina, "how much is it?"

"Ten million."

Veronica's head hurt. Not only was Julie sleeping with Trina's boyfriend, her death guaranteed Trina would be able to finish the movie and prevent her bankruptcy. "Yesterday you were fighting with someone about the rigging," a quick glance at Logan confirmed she got the language right, "for the lights?"

Her brow knitted, "when you made me shut down for the day?" Again there was that slight accusing tone. "That was Lowell, Lowell Whitworth, he's the key grip."

 _Do they make a Hollywood to English dictionary?_  "He didn't look very happy."

"Who was? Do you know how much that cost me? Shutting down for the day?"

"Trina." The warning tone in Logan's voice effectively silenced his sister.

When she spoke again she was less accusing, but still glum. "He refused to take down the rigging only to have to reassemble it in the morning." She shrugged, "I told him to leave it."

"So anyone could've tampered with it overnight?"

"We do have set security, Veronica."

She got up and started to clear the table. Last night's lack of sleep was starting to get to her and Trina wasn't helping. "I'll need the name of the security firm and their contact information."

"It's in the football."

Logan was quick to explain, "that's a file folder with the set paperwork in it."

Veronica rolled her eyes.  _Couldn't they just say file folder? Why did the insiders club need their own words for everything?_  She started resealing the cardboard containers. When Logan attempted to help her, she put her hand on his to stop him. "I'll do it, you go visit with Trina." His  _I'd rather eat glass_  expression made her smile. "Really, I've got this." He followed his sister from the room like he was walking the last mile to his execution.

First, she took her time cleaning up the dining room and then she took her time with the dishes. Slowly washing each one by hand and letting her hands soak in the hot soapy water. When she'd lingered as long as possible, she went to get Wyatt. "It's time for Wylee to have her bath."

"I thought her name was Wyatt?"

"It is, but Veronica hates it." He grinned, "she wanted Charlotte."

"How did you get from Charlotte to Wyatt?"

Another shit-eating grin, "I'm very persuasive."

She didn't stick around to hear anymore. Bath time took longer than necessary, ditto for feeding and bedtime. Veronica did not want to go back out there. No sleep and her troubled thoughts were hard enough without the double-whammy of Logan and Trina Echolls. It was her fervent wish that they would get caught up in conversation and she could slither off to bed without anyone realizing she was gone. Then she could be sound asleep before Logan joined her.

"Trina's gone it's safe to come out."

 _Foiled again_. Veronica sighed. She turned on the baby monitor and took her own last mile walk back to the living room. "Did she leave all the information I wanted?"

He pointed to a thick, expandable file folder on the mantle. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

Logan loved their nightly ritual of putting Wyatt to sleep almost as much as she did.  _Because I didn't want you there_. "I thought you wanted time with Trina."

"Hey have we met," he held out a hand, "I'm Logan Echolls and FYI, I never need alone time with my sister."

She ignored his outstretched hand and it fell to his side. "It's been a long day and I'm going to turn in early. Night."

He grabbed her hand, "I don't think so. We need to talk."

"I didn't sleep at all last night and I'm tired."

"More like running away," he muttered. "What's going on Veronica? Something's been bothering you all afternoon and what did you mean with your,  _that's just how the Echolls siblings roll_ comment?"

She shrugged, "it didn't mean anything."

"Like hell it didn't."

"Can't you just let it go?" Feeling vulnerable made her want to attack. Nine years was a long time, but obviously not long enough to conquer all those past jealousies and insecurities, Kendall, Hannah,  _Madison_. "Five. Do you know what that is?" She put more space between them. "Five, that's how many men I've slept with, willingly anyway. Not very impressive I know, five, that's like an average weekend for you right?"

He reared back, confused. "I don't understand. Where is this coming from?"

This was not how she wanted to do this.  _Retreat, Veronica_. She took a deep breath. "I don't want to talk about this."

"So that's how it's going to be? I have to open up and share all my secrets with you, while you get to retreat and hide? I thought we were trying for things being  _different_  this time around."

 _If you ever change your mind, I'll always be here for you_ …except when I'm busy loving Carrie Bishop. That certain softness she thought belonged only to her was the same softness she saw while he was thinking about Carrie. Her brain supplied the image; the expression on his face this afternoon when he thought about Carrie, the look in his eyes. An inexplicable sadness filled her. "You were in love with Carrie." Logan just stared at her. "And you were in love with Lilly."

"You can't possibly be jealous." She remained silent. "You're serious? You remember they're both dead right?"

"I remember. I'm Veronica Mars, the consolation prize."

His mouth dropped open. "What are you talking about?"

"If Lilly wasn't murdered, we, you and me," she pointed at him and then herself, "would've never gotten together." He tried to touch her and she moved beyond his reach. "After sleeping your way through the halls of Neptune High, there was easy Veronica back from her escapades with the swim team."

"This is crazy."

She rolled her eyes. "Fast forward a few years and you're in love with Carrie. Were you planning a future with her too before she was murdered?" Veronica wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed. The anger was gone. "I've only ever been in love with you," her lips barely moved.

Logan studied her, "what about Piz?" She shook her head. "Duncan?"

She shook her head again, "Duncan was leaving for good. I was never going to see him again and you know what I said to him? When he told me he loved me? I said, you better."

He dragged a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to say."

Veronica sighed, "forget it Logan. I really am just tired and I want to go to sleep." She felt raw and exposed and desperate to be alone.  _This is why you should leave the past where it belongs; time to put your teenage self to bed and apologize to the man for your boil a bunny routine_. "I'm sorry," she shrugged, "hormones. Nasty little buggers."

She practically ran down the hall. Grabbing a pair of pajamas from the dresser, she locked herself in the bathroom to change. When she came out, Logan was sitting on the bed waiting for her. She gave him a small smile, "bathroom's free."

He made no move to leave. Resigning herself to the inevitable, she climbed into bed, keeping her back to him. "Goodnight."

"I didn't love either of them the way I love you, there is no comparison."

"I said I was sorry Logan. I know…"

"No you don't, that's the problem." He placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, "please let me hold you." At her slight nod, he spooned his body against hers; one arm around her waist and one leg wrapped around both of hers. "I had no idea you felt this way."

"Me neither." Tears pricked her eyes. She tried batting them away, but it was useless. "Apparently I no longer excel at avoiding my feelings," her voice broke.

"You're crying." Sex was one thing. It didn't really matter that he'd slept with more people, she knew most of them were women he didn't care about, but he'd loved Carrie.  _Why does that hurt so badly?_  "You know I understand jealousy. When I saw Piz at the reunion,  _with you_ , I wanted to punch his face in…again. I thought you'd been together this entire time. My nine years of abject misery and the whole time you were with  _Piz_."

"Abject misery?"

"No need to sound so happy about it." He kissed her neck and pulled her closer. "It's always been you Veronica."

"Not always."

"Always," it was said with a soft groan of frustration. "My best times dating Lilly were when the four of us were together because of  _you_. You're the one I had the real conversations with, the one who made me laugh. Sex with her, relationship with you."

They were always together; the Fab Four. Dates, days at the beach or by the pool, school dances, and parties and it was  _Logan_  she talked to. He was the one who teased and flirted with her. The one who challenged her, paid attention, noticed her new outfit and knew when something was troubling her. He was the one who knew why her mom was always  _sick_  and couldn't make it to whatever school function. Duncan may have been her boyfriend, but Logan was the one she was dating.

"You guys were my family. I desperately wanted Lilly to love me because I needed her to. If she didn't love me, it would end and I would be alone. When she died and Duncan slipped into zombieland, you were all I had left and then you shut me out. I wanted to hurt you for that. I wanted you to hurt like I was hurting."

Veronica rolled over to face him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and slipped her leg between his. "I didn't know."

"And Carrie? She only happened because I couldn't have you. I loved her, but only with what was left. The biggest part of me was still yours. I never stopped wanting you, loving you. You, Veronica Mars, have always and will always be my first choice. The woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, even if you are insane."

"You make me crazy. It's…no one else." She squeezed her eyes closed and buried her face against him. "I forgot. That overwhelming, can't think straight, out of control feeling."

"Welcome to my world." He rubbed her back. "Is that why you walked away?"

"We both know how I like my control," she murmured against his neck. "I was scared Logan. I made such a mess of things. You looked happy with Parker and I hated it. You were going to classes and smiling and romantic. I kept thinking, you are no good for him and he is no good for you, let him go, but I didn't know how."

"Your act was pretty convincing to me. I think it was the kissing Piz outside my room or maybe the hand holding and adoring gazes." He tensed, "and that tape," the words were low and angry.

"I felt violated, again." A shudder passed through her. "I wanted to make them pay and I lost all focus. Nothing mattered except revenge. I put Wallace in a dangerous situation to get information, I cost my father the election and almost his freedom. I was angry at Piz for not reacting enough and angry with you for overreacting. Then when you beat up Gory in the cafeteria…" She stopped.

"Tell me."

"You risked your life and I didn't care. I was so satisfied,  _happy_ , that you put yourself in danger to defend me. He could've killed you, the only man I'd ever been in love with, and it was okay because I wanted vengeance so bad." The tears returned. "I had to get out. My head was just twisted."

"I don't regret that. I would do it all over, beating up Gory." He kissed the top of her head. "When I saw that tape, I thought of Shelly Pomroy's party and Mercer." Logan stroked her hair, "someone was hurting you again and I couldn't let it happen."

She tilted her head back to see him. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

"You're here now."

Veronica nodded and put her head back on his chest. "And I'm not going anywhere."


	7. CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

"Sixteen year old Veronica would like to apologize to you for last night, but I've banished her, so you have to settle for me." His head was buried beneath his pillow. All she could see of his face was one eye. It was open and staring at her and the breakfast tray she was carrying.

"Are you sure she's gone and not trying to poison me with food? I  _know_  that Veronica, she could get away with it."

"And, if memory serves, she did have a pretty good motive."

"Maybe, but the obligatory psychotic jackass has been banished too."

"Well then nothing to worry about."

He pulled off the pillow and sat up. "What time is it and why are you so chipper? Remember me? Not a morning person."

"You're in the Navy now; up and at 'em Lieutenant."

"This is lazy vacation Logan." She settled the tray over his lap. A perfectly cooked ham and cheddar omelet, a plate of buttered toast, sausage, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a cup of coffee were neatly arranged on its surface. "Hmm is Dick in the kitchen?"

"No, this was all me baby."

"You've been holding out on me Mars."

"A girl can't give up all the goods right away; we need to dish them out slowly." She kissed him. "Maintain our mystery."

"I'm glad cooking was the skill you held back."

She batted her eyes at him, "and I can bake too."

"I remember." He took a bite of the omelet and made the appropriate 'mmm' noises, but his eyes didn't leave her face. "How do you feel this morning?"

_Good_. The lie rolled around her mouth leaving a bitter taste. She swallowed it and opted for the truth.  _No lying to Logan._  "I don't know." Last night was rough. Between waking up with Wyatt and the bad dreams, there was very little sleep. Once or twice she woke up crying and sought comfort from Logan. "Put clothes on before you leave the bedroom."

"Afraid you'll be too tempted?"

She rolled her eyes, "Mac is here."

Logan smirked, "afraid  _she'll_  be too tempted?"

"I think we could both control ourselves." Veronica snagged a piece of his toast and he frowned. "Should I put it back?" She licked the bread, "how 'bout now?"

"Did you eat?"

"I'm eating now." She took a bite of the toast, "see?"

"Veronica you need to eat."

She sighed, "hold on to the tray." Once he'd gripped the ends of the tray, she climbed over him and settled herself at his side. She ate a forkful of his omelet.

"I didn't mean you needed to eat  _my_  food."

"Are you sure?" She stole a sausage, "I could swear I heard you say, come back to bed and share breakfast with me."

"Hmm, I like the come back to bed part."

"Food first Logan, then we'll see, I think I have a headache." He laughed. "Laugh all you want, but I go to the doctor tomorrow and I see some begging in your future."

"I will gladly beg for you." He fed her another bite of egg and pushed the glass of orange juice across the tray toward her. When she raised it to her mouth, he put his finger on the bottom to ensure she took more than a small sip. Then he cut her another piece of egg and moved the plate of sausages to her side. "Why is Mac here?"

"We're going to work in the dining room today." Logan took a bite of sausage and popped the other half in her mouth. Her eyes drifted closed as his mouth covered hers. When he pulled away, the breakfast tray was now over her lap. He took his coffee and leaned back against the pillows. "How did you do that?"

"Magic hands." He grinned. "Want me to take Wyatt out?"

Veronica shook her head, "when I said we, I meant you and me."

He waggled his eyebrows, "are we going to play naughty secretary? I'll let you chase me around the desk."

"Why do I get the feeling it would be a very short chase?"

"You're perceptive?" His voice dropped to a seductive drawl, "I could always bend you over the desk."

_Breathe, Veronica, breathe_. "I, uh, I…"

A slow grin, "you're thinking about it aren't you?" She shook her head. "Well,  _I'm_  thinking about it, in great detail." She gulped down the rest of the orange juice. "Hot?"

Veronica focused on breathing and breakfast. When the food was all gone, she glanced at him. He was watching her eat. "Should I go back on the pill?"

"Man, Veronica is sex all you think about?" Her sputtering made him laugh. When she frowned at him, he stopped laughing, but his smile stayed firmly in place. "What do you want to do?"

She was on the pill in New York, with Piz, but when she'd come to Neptune to help Logan sex hadn't been on her mind.  _Yeah until you saw him in his Navy whites_. "Shut up."

"Huh?"

"Sorry that was for me, not you." Forgetting her pill resulted in Wyatt. She loved being a mom. Of course Wyatt wasn't talking yet and there were still the terrible twos and the teenage years ahead. The idea of a teenager that was both a Mars  _and_  an Echolls suddenly made her feel faint.  _Oh crap, what did we do?_

"Are you okay?"

"I just thought about our daughter… as a  _teenager_." Logan paled. She pointed to his face. "Yes, exactly."

"We're doomed." He shook his head, "well you know what they say Mars, in for a penny, in for a pound."

"So you're willing to release more of our progeny on an unsuspecting world? On  _us_?"

He shrugged, "when have we ever backed down from a challenge?"

_He makes a valid point, Veronica_. "Okay let's do it."

"I thought you'd never ask." Logan moved the tray to the floor. He lifted her up and positioned her on top of him so her legs were straddling his hips. "Or did you want to be on bottom? I'm flexible." He rolled them over. "Why are you always wearing so many clothes when I get you in this position?"

"We have things to do, Logan."

"And I'm getting to them, don't rush me." Veronica laid her palms on his chest and pushed. "I offered you the chance to be on top- make up your mind." She pushed him again and he rolled away. "For future reference when you say  _let's do it_  with that sexy mouth of yours, I fully intend to do it."

"Man, Logan, is sex all you think about?"

"Stop using my material Mars."

It was safer to leave the bed from her side, but not nearly as much fun. She got up on her knees and straddled him. His hands immediately went for her hips. Veronica shook her finger at him, "no touching." She grabbed his wrists and leaned forward to pin his arms down to the mattress near his head. The position put their mouths so close she could feel his warm breath against her lips. She let the tip of her tongue graze his lower lip. His soft groan made her smile.

"Torture is against the law Veronica."

Her hands slid down his torso and she rotated her hips, grinding herself against him. "When have laws ever stopped us?" Her tongue flicked over his nipple and she gently grabbed it between her teeth.

A shudder coursed through his body, "God, Veronica." She got up. "Where are you going?" His question was a low growl.

Feigning innocence, she tilted her head. "What do you mean? I told you we have things to do. Are you coming?"

"A few more minutes of what you were just doing and I will be."

"Just a few?" She frowned, "I thought your code word was endurance?"

His body jackknifed off the bed and Veronica ran. She raced into the dining room and skidded to a halt at the table. Mac rolled her eyes at the flushed face and rumpled clothes. "Guess I don't need to ask what you were doing."

"I'll have you know I was eating breakfast."

"If that's what you want to call it," Mac shrugged and bounced Wyatt, "if Mommy and Daddy keep  _eating breakfast_  together you're going to have like ten annoying younger siblings."

"That sounds about right." Logan slipped his arms around Veronica's waist and kissed her neck.

"Cover your eyes Wyatt." Mac put a hand over the baby's eyes and then pulled it away, "boo!" Wyatt blinked, then scrunched up her face and started to bawl. "Not a fan of peek-a-boo I take it." Mac stared at them, "uh does somebody want to help me out here?"

"Let Logan take her, he has a way with the ladies, even the tiny ones."

"Especially the tiny ones," he growled in her ear before releasing her. He circled the table and took Wyatt from Mac. "Hey jellybean." He cradled her against his chest, stroked her back and kissed the top of her head. Bawling quieted to deep snuffling and then to a contented sigh. Logan nuzzled his face into her neck and Veronica caught him inhaling the new baby smell. She grinned. "Diaper and then food." He kissed Veronica on his way out of the room, "we'll be back."

"Ah domestic bliss," Mac stuck her finger down her throat and made a gagging sound.

"Do I detect a note of sarcasm?"

"A note? That was a full-fledged memo." She turned her attention back to her laptop.

"Somebody's grumpy; trouble in paradise?"  _Not that I would call Chez Dick's paradise, well except for the food, maybe_. "Is everything okay? Want to talk about it?"

"Do you know you get this gleam in your eyes when you ask questions? It's like a kid on Christmas morning or a little girl getting a pony."

"Is that a no then?"

"Remind me to go back in time and not be friends with a detective okay?"

Veronica smirked, "gee that sounds like something a friend might do, but if you go back in time, we wouldn't be having this conversation so I couldn't remind you. Do you see the conundrum?"

Mac grinned, "I'm sure if you put your mind to it, you can solve the problem."

"Time travel?" She tilted her head, "or your relationship with Dick?"

"Dick and I are not having a relationship."

"Just relations?"

Mac shook her head, "how long have you known?"

Veronica pointed to herself, "detective. It means I detect things. Like Mac in a skirt and heels for a date night, which just happens to coincide with Dick stumbling home the following morning still wearing a suit?"

"Go back to solving the time travel problem."

"Your first mistake was telling me not to follow you."

"Good to know. I thought you were going to say my first mistake was Dick."

Veronica frowned. "Seriously though, is everything okay?"

Mac sighed, "it's weird."  _Weird wouldn't have been my first adjective_. Veronica kept her mouth shut and waited for Mac to continue. "We did try dating then, but sneaking around while you were living there was…difficult."

"You could've just told me. I would've skedaddled."

She shook her head. "Dick was afraid you'd move in here by yourself and he gave Logan his word he wouldn't leave you alone until Logan was home."

"That explains so much."  _Like three months of having a shadow named Dick_.

"Leave Logan alone Veronica, he was worried about you. We were all worried about you."

It wasn't the best three months. Logan was gone and she was having nightmares. The doctor put her on bed rest. Every day there was a new story in the papers about Parker's arrest and her mental capacity. The entire sordid story from the getting pregnant on purpose to trap Logan, to the abortion and finally her downward spiral to killer was headline news. Reporters called the house so often, Dick unplugged the phones permanently. Veronica shook her head.  _Asking Dick to keep an eye on me was probably a good idea._

"You said  _tried_  dating as in you're not doing it anymore?"

"It wasn't just you, there was Cassidy…" Veronica nodded. "We decided to be friends."

"How's that working out?"

"It was working pretty well until I kissed him."

"Kissed who?" Logan strolled back in with Wyatt. She was cradled in his arms happily sucking away on her bottle.

"The Easter Bunny. I was angling for a bigger basket next year."

"I would lend you mine, but it's the one I'm going to hell in." He sat at the table. "So am I just here for my good looks or did you have something you wanted me to do?"

Veronica pushed the file folder from Trina in front of him. "Make sense of this for me."

"Can you be more specific? I require a lot of detailed instructions and supervision."

"You can start by telling me what a hot brick is."

"They're…" He smirked, "maybe we should discuss payment for services rendered first."

"Eww," Mac stood up, "I'm going to get coffee while you two haggle."

Logan pulled out his ultimate kiss-ass sweet voice, "I'll take one too please," Once she was gone, he turned back to Veronica. "I'm willing to take payment in trade."

"Do I even have to ask?"

"Hmm let's say for every hour of help I give you I get an hour to do whatever I want with you."

Veronica rested her chin in her palm. "Are we going to go ice skating?"

"Ice might be involved."

The image conjured by his words made her cheeks flame. Veronica bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Those terms are acceptable. You're hired." He grinned. "But you better be worth it."

"I'll make sure you're satisfied with my services."  _Woof_. "Hot bricks are fully charged batteries for the walkie-talkies."

"That's it?" She shook her head, "I think we need to renegotiate our terms."

"Sorry, it was a legally binding agreement."

"I believe I'm the attorney in the family and I claim undue influence." Wyatt was resting her head on the cloth diaper Logan had draped over his shoulder. He was gently patting and stroking her back to coax out a burp. "Exhibit A, sexy man holding baby."

"Do I have to separate you two?" Mac put a cup of coffee down in front of Logan. "We have work to do, remember work?"

Veronica sighed and dragged the file over. She pulled out the contents and started sorting the paperwork. "Were you able to track down Trina's whereabouts for the past ten years?"

"You had Mac investigate my sister?"

Her hands stilled. Logan's tone was one of mild curiosity, not indignation, but maybe she should've discussed it with him first. When investigating a lead, she rarely, if ever, stopped to consider the consequences. It was all about the pursuit of the truth.  _Maybe you should work on that, Veronica_. She gave him a sheepish smile, "inquiring minds needed to know?"

Logan just smiled and shook his head before turning to Mac expectantly. Her gaze swung from Logan to Veronica and back. "The first four years were an inheritance spending spree through Europe, well documented by the tabloids for its…highlights." Logan smirked. "Then she disappeared for four years before resurfacing two years ago in Los Angeles when she bought this script."

The word Logan chose to focus on was, "disappeared?"

Mac hedged, "no more tabloid headlines, no traceable spending, no cell phone records."

Veronica knew Mac long enough to know there was more to the story. Her hesitance to share in front of Logan only spiked Veronica's curiosity. She could either ask more questions about the "disappearance" or she could change the topic. "Do you know where she was?"

"I lost her trail when she checked into a clinic in Geneva."

Logan sat forward, "what kind of clinic? Four years of beauty and spa treatments seems a bit excessive, even for Trina."

"I don't know." Mac shrugged, "it's a private facility with no information available anywhere. I tried the usual methods, even a few unusual ones and I got nowhere. I even called, but you have to enter a code into the phone before it connects with a person."

He was up and pacing. "So you don't even know what they do there?"

"No. It must be a referral only place for the wealthy and I don't exactly swim in that pool." She shook her head, "I don't even have enough money to  _clean_  that pool."

"Yeah well I might still be able to take a dip. Give me the information you have and I'll look into it." He stopped pacing. "I'm going to put Wyatt down."

When he left the room, Mac smacked her forehead. "Dumb, dumb, dumb. Did I say, haven't had a chance to do that yet? Nooo, I go with disappeared into a mysterious clinic. I'm sorry Veronica."

"It doesn't matter, I would've just told him anyway."

Doubt lifted one of Mac's eyebrows, "really? Since when?"

Logan's return kept Veronica from having to answer. Not that she would be able to explain her new resolve to Mac; she just knew it was true.  _No lying to Logan_. She glanced at him, "a best boy?"

"The DP hires the gaffer and he hires the best boy to run the juicers…"

Veronica interrupted him with singing, "and the cheese stands alone, heigh-ho, the derry-o, the cheese stands alone."

Logan grinned, "let me see the cast and crew list."

She passed him the pages along with the time cards and turned back to Mac. "Trina bought the script two years ago?"

Another furtive look at Logan, "not exactly. She bought  _a_  script." Mac shuffled through a file in front of her and pulled out a thick pile of pages bound with brass round-head fasteners. "When I looked for buzz on the movie, I found nothing about Dearly Departed, which I thought was odd. So I searched for stories on Trina and found this." She passed the pages to Veronica.

It was another script by J. Smith, but this one was titled  _Blood Lilly_.


	8. CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN

"So the script Trina gave me is a fake?"

At her question, Logan stopped writing. His jaw muscles tightened in sync with his grip on the pen. It would only take an infinitesimal increase in pressure for either him or the pen to snap. Unaware of the volatile mood shift, Mac spread the remaining contents of her file across the table. "I don't think so. While the press keeps referring to the movie as Blood Lilly, all the articles talk about major script rewrites."

_Rewrites_  pricked the stress-filled room and the tension slowly deflated. Logan relaxed and resumed writing, but it wasn't long before he was frowning at the pages in front of him. Agitated, his pen started tapping against the legal pad. His eyes darted to Veronica only to catch her watching him and he offered a tight smile before quickly looking away.

Mac stopped shuffling pages and held out an article for Veronica. "Charlene Lawrence was originally supposed to play Lilly, but she backed out. Maybe because of the script changes?" Veronica dragged her gaze away from Logan and took the offered clipping.

While Julie Hanson was a rising star, Charlene Lawrence was Hollywood's current "it" girl. Not only nominated for an Oscar, she was the star of a wildly popular film franchise set in a dystopian future and was also currently in talks to play Wonder Woman in a new superhero blockbuster.

Losing her was both a hit to Trina's box office and, according to this article, her budget; Trina had to buy her out of her contract to the tune of three million dollars. Veronica passed the article to Logan. "I don't get it. Trina buys a script about the murder of Lilly Kane, has a huge star set to play the role, and then makes such major changes she loses her big box office draw?"

Mac shrugged, "that's what it looks like. There was also a lawsuit." She handed Veronica another clipping. "Apparently both Jake and Celeste Kane filed injunctions to have the movie shut down."

Veronica took the Charlene Lawrence article back from Logan and compared the dates. Both injunctions appeared to have been filed  _after_  the script change and both injunctions were denied, which meant the lawsuits weren't the reason for the revisions. Yet Trina must have spent a small fortune defending herself against the mighty Kanes. What Veronica couldn't figure out was why? She looked at Logan, "can you tell me what I'm missing?"

He shook his head. "She should've just made the original movie." He smirked, "it's certainly got a better title."

Veronica stared at the script. "Can you find me the screenwriter?"

"I can help you with that." Logan flipped through the pages in front of him and passed Mac a sheet of paper, "it's his phone number for a reverse directory search."

Mac grinned, "maybe you aren't just a pretty face."

Logan batted his eyes at her, "I knew you thought I was pretty." He turned back to Veronica, "why the screenwriter?"

"Trina butchered his script and I want to know how well he took it or didn't take it. Rumor has it writers are a sensitive bunch."

"Ah, our first suspect, the game is afoot."

"Our?" She smiled, "and you're not paying close enough attention. We also have Jake and Celeste Kane, plus any other actor who wanted out after the movie changed."

Mac stopped typing, "uh, have you read today's paper?"

Veronica inwardly groaned, "do I want to?"

"Probably not." She retrieved the paper from her bag and tossed it on the table. The headline screamed,  _A Tale of Two Lillys_ , with pictures of both Julie Hanson and Lilly Kane.  _Another fine piece of reporting from The Neptune Register_. Veronica shook her head and read the article aloud for Logan's benefit.

" _Actress Julie Hanson was killed on the set of her new movie, Blood Lilly. Sources confirm she was electrocuted in the very swimming pool where, over a decade ago, software heiress, Lilly Kane was murdered. Movie star Aaron Echolls was charged and later acquitted of killing Miss Kane, the teenage girlfriend of his son, Logan. The jury in the case believed that Duncan Kane, who suffers from Type 4 Epilepsy, killed his sister in an uncontrollable "fit of rage." No charges were ever filed against Kane for the murder of his sister; however, he is still wanted in connection with the kidnapping of Faith Manning._

_Perhaps Aaron Echolls daughter, Trina, with her production company, Echo Films, was finally trying to set the record straight. Trina purchased the script for Blood Lilly, the true account of who killed Lilly Kane, almost two years ago and, amidst lawsuits and scandal, has struggled to get this film made ever since. After failing to find studio support for the project, Trina Echolls, in what can only be described as a labor of love, decided to finance the entire production on her own._

_Julie Hanson was looking forward to playing the lovely and vivacious Lilly Kane. In an interview given shortly before her tragic death, Hanson said that Lilly Kane was an inspiration for everyone to "live life to its fullest because you never knew when it would end." Her words are now a sad and prophetic epitaph for an actress who was taken from us too soon. While the world mourns the loss of such a talented star, we are left wondering if Duncan Kane returned to Neptune to clip another Lilly."_

"Hmm does that mean I should add Duncan to our list of suspects? Do I put him down before Jack the Ripper or after?"

Veronica tilted her head and tapped her chin, "definitely before Jack the Ripper, but after Lex Luthor and The Penguin." They grinned at each other.

"Hey, Nick and Nora Charles, why don't you focus on a real suspect?" Mac held out a Post-It note for Veronica, "your screenwriter lives here in Neptune."

She plucked the note from Mac's fingers. "I shouldn't be too long and then…"

Logan stood. "I'll come with you."

"Uh, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Wait, did I forget to tell you how beautiful you look today?" He pulled her out of the chair and into his arms, "because you do." He kissed her neck, "absolutely stunning."

Veronica slipped her arms around his waist. "I meant, our baby."

"Mac's here." Logan rested his chin on top of her head. "You'll watch Wyatt right Aunt Cindy?"

Mac grimaced, "provided you never call me that again."

Veronica tilted her head back to see him, "don't you have other work to do?"

"Slave driver." Logan grabbed the pad from the table and handed it to her, "I'm all done."

He'd created a master flowchart showing the hierarchy of the film crew. Each crew member had their own box with their name, title, and quick description of what they did. Plus she could follow the lines to see which of the crew worked under them or with them. "This is great."

Logan pressed his lips against her ear and whispered, "two hours."

Her body vibrated in anticipation.  _Great, now my ear is an erogenous zone_. "Okay you can come with me."

He grinned, "trying to rack up more hours Mars?"

"Maybe." She cupped the back of his head and pulled his mouth down to hers. Veronica lost control of the kiss the minute their lips met. Seconds bled into minutes and it still wasn't enough.

Mac cleared her throat, "did I say ten siblings? I may have underestimated."

They slowly pulled apart and she gave Mac a bashful smile. "Um, are you sure you're okay watching Wyatt? We won't be gone long." Her skeptical look was easily translated. "We're just going to talk to the writer and then straight back home, I promise."

"No need for backseats when we have an entire house to…"

Mac raised her hands, palms out, "stop talking and just go."

Veronica gave Mac credit for her extreme patience and lack of eye-rolling as she recited the long litany of baby information she felt compelled to share concerning feeding, diaper changes, tummy time, warnings and emergency contact numbers. Logan chimed in with, "and if you need us for anything we can be back in," he glanced at the address on the note in Veronica's hand, "fifteen minutes tops."

"Got it." Neither of them moved. "You do realize it's not babysitting unless you guys actually leave?"

"Hey while we're gone, can you look into the company Trina hired to do set security? And see if you can get copies of the injunctions filed by the Kanes along with their current addresses. Oh and the paper mentioned Trina's production company, Echo Films, can you get its corporate records? You're a peach."

Logan grabbed her hand, pulling her first from the room and then from the house, but once outside, he hesitated. "Maybe we should check on Wyatt before we go?"

"She'll be…" Veronica pulled her cell from her purse and used the baby monitor app to bring up a picture of their daughter's room. The camera was angled into the crib for a perfect view of a still-sleeping Wyatt. She showed the screen to Logan and a tender smile crossed his face. "I'm sorry I ever questioned your choice of baby monitor."

"Especially considering how often you use it to spy on me and Wyatt." She bowed her head so he wouldn't see her smile. It was true. Their shared cloud account was full of videos of him with the baby. She slipped the phone back in her purse. "Cat got your tongue?"

"I plead the Fifth."

Logan shook his head, "whatever you say counselor." Once she was seated in the car, he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before shutting her door and circling around the hood to the driver's side. He started the car and backed out of the driveway.

It was a beautiful day and the ocean called to her. For two people who were used to spending most of their free time at the beach, she couldn't remember the last time she felt the sand between her toes. For that matter, she couldn't remember the last time the two of them had been out of the house and alone together.  _Welcome to parenthood_. "Logan?" A soft, hmm, told her he was listening. "Think when we're done grilling our suspect we can have lunch on the beach?"

There was no answer. She hazarded a glance in his direction. His eyes were focused on the road, but with only one hand on the steering wheel. The other hand was rubbing the back of his neck. She knew that posture. It was the,  _I have something I should tell Veronica, but I don't want to_ , position. "Veronica," the way he said her name told her she wasn't going to like what came next. "There's something you should know about the crew on Trina's film." His eyes flicked to her face and back to the road. "The hairstylist? Savannah Miller? We…" When his brain failed to supply the correct euphemism, he fell silent and waited for her.

Her imagination didn't suffer the same restraint.  _Dated, slept together, had sex, did the deed, knocked boots_ …she sighed, "Okay." Now she had an answer for his earlier agitation and the furtive looks in her direction.

"I would've told you when I first saw her name, but I didn't want to say anything in front of Mac. After last night…"

"You thought I would go all Glenn Close on you again?"

Another brief glance at her and a soft, "yeah."

Their arrival at their destination prevented further discussion. A black 1968 Pontiac Firebird was parked in the driveway of the Craftsman house. Logan gave a low whistle at the sight of the gleaming classic convertible.  _Boys and their toys_. "It's nice, but…" She shrugged and got out of the car, "it's no yellow Xterra."

The white porch and trim created a nice contrast to the slate blue bungalow and the cranberry front door popped against the backdrop. They weren't far from the beach and she could smell the briny tang of the ocean. She waited for Logan to join her on the porch before knocking. The cranberry door was pulled open by a barefoot guy wearing board shirts and a t-shirt that read,  _I do what the voices in my head tell me_. There was something very familiar about the short, spiky brown hair and puppy-dog eyes. The edges of his mouth curved up in a slight smile, "Veronica Mars."

She glanced at the classic car and back to the guy in the doorway. "Justin Smith?"

His smile widened, "you remember me." He stepped back, opening the door further, allowing them to enter. "After reading the paper, I thought I might be seeing you."

Logan paused and held out his hand. "I don't think we've met, I'm…"

"Logan Echolls." Justin pumped his hand. "We went to Neptune High together." Veronica bit her lip to keep from smiling at Logan's expression. It clearly said,  _I have no idea who you are, dude_. "Do you guys want anything? Soda, water, beer?"

"No, thanks." Justin turned expectantly to Logan who just shook his head. "We wanted to talk to you about your script, Blood Lilly."

"That's my baby." He looked around the living room, "uh, why don't you guys sit down." There weren't many choices for a place to sit. One wall of the room was completely monopolized by an eighty inch flat-panel television and shelves with a massive DVD collection. Across from the TV was a bulky beige sofa and the only other furniture was a computer desk and chair.  _Bachelor living at its finest_. Veronica settled on the sofa and Logan joined her. "Sure you guys don't want anything?"

Justin didn't wait for a response before disappearing from the room. "How do you know this guy?"

"I helped him find his father."

He came back with a beer, turned the desk chair around and sat across from them. "Trina's your sister, right?"

Logan smirked, "that's what they keep telling me."

A confused expression settled over Justin's face and Veronica interrupted before the conversation headed in directions she'd rather not explore. "So tell us about your script."

"It's amazing." She squeezed Logan's knee to keep him from commenting. "Let me give you the backstory." When she gave his knee another gentle squeeze, Logan lifted her hand and put it on her own lap. "After my first year of college, I knew it wasn't for me, but my parents kept bugging me to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. You need goals and direction, Justin." He shook his head. "Anyway, you remember how much I like movies right?" Veronica nodded. "I decided to try film school."

Logan turned his head, eyes pleading with her to say something, anything, to make the story stop. She just grinned at him and remained silent.

Justin took another swig of his beer. "Film school was a bust. I realized I didn't actually want to learn all the technical stuff, ruins the magic, know what I mean?" Logan's knee started bouncing and Veronica bit her lip. "But we were assigned a project to create a short film and I volunteered to write it. I knew then, I'd found my calling."

She decided to put Logan out of his misery, "that's when you wrote the script?"

"No, no, not yet." Logan slumped back against the sofa. "The film for school? It was about you." A blush crept up his neck, "uh, about how you found my dad and everything."

Veronica frowned. She wasn't sure if she liked the idea of some student film floating around that featured her from high school. "Is that when you decided…"

"Everybody loved it. They said my dialogue was smart and witty. The character of the teen detective was sassy and they loved the sex change twist."

Logan arched a brow and leered at her chest. She ignored him. "So Blood Lilly was about me?"

"Not really. Don't get me wrong, you were totally my inspiration, but Lilly Kane… it's a great story. Have you read it?"  _Read it? I lived it._

Instead of a direct answer, she asked, "a murder mystery where everyone knows the ending? Weren't you afraid it wouldn't sell?" His earlier look of confusion returned. She remembered Trina's words,  _everyone knows how it ends; well some of us do. Maybe she wasn't talking about herself?_

"A boring trial that ends in an acquittal? That doesn't really shout blockbuster."

Logan leaned forward, "so you changed the killer?"

"That's just it; we don't really know who the killer is." Excitement made Justin jump out of his chair and start to pace, "it's this big unsolved homicide, like the Black Dahlia. We have this beautiful teenage girl murdered and these mythical sex tapes that give five people really good motives to want her dead." He started ticking them off, "Aaron, of course, because he wanted the tapes back before she blew the lid off his happy family man image."

Veronica sincerely regretted bringing Logan with her. She edged closer to him and took his hand in both of hers. "You know Justin, maybe we can resched…"

Cutting her off, Logan prompted, "go on. You've got Aaron and who else?"

Unaware of any tension, Justin continued. "Duncan seeing his sister like that flies into a rage fueled by his epilepsy. Weevil angry and jealous because he thought Lilly loved him, but was just using him. Jake Kane, who lets face it, was a little creepy in his obsession with his daughter, watches his friend defile his baby and then there's…" Justin paused, realization dawning on his face. He scratched the back of his head and shrugged.

"Me. That's what you were going to say, right? And then there's Logan, the jealous boyfriend betrayed not only by his girlfriend, but by his father." Justin returned to his chair and gave Logan a wary nod. "Which ending did you pick?"

"That was my problem. I wrote the entire script, but I didn't know how to end it." He glanced over his shoulder at the DVD collection, "ever seen the movie  _Drift_?" He didn't wait for them to respond, "the main character makes this choice and the movie ends, but it doesn't really, it goes back and he makes a different choice so the ending is totally changed and then they do it again. That's what I did."

Logan nodded, "alternate endings like  _Run, Lola, Run_  or  _Sliding Doors_."

"You like movies, huh?"

"Only the good ones."

Missing the dig, Justin popped up from his chair and resumed his story. "The pivotal moment is the sex tape. It fills the screen, camera pans back and we see it's Lilly watching it. She takes the tape and flees. Aaron shows up at her house, demanding it back and murders her. Cut to the sex tape image on screen, but this time when the camera pans back it's Duncan watching the tape and we see how and why he murdered her. Cut to…"

"We get it." Logan leaned back against the sofa, "who was the final killer?"

"It's not really like that. There is no  _actual_ answer; the audience gets to decide who the real killer is." She immediately knew his lack of answer was an answer itself. The final killing in the film portrayed Logan as the murderer. It didn't matter if it was up to the viewer to decide. The final frame would have Logan killing Lilly and that's the scene most people would remember.

"And my sister bought this script?"

"She  _optioned_  it."

Logan frowned, "how long was the option?"

"Eighteen months."

"When does it expire?" Veronica had no idea what they were talking about, but the 'expire' part did not sound good.

"Already did." Justin sat back down and sighed. "When I first finished the script, I had trouble getting anyone to read it."

"How long did you shop it around?"

He shrugged, "few months. Then I found out this guy I went to film school with was working for Charlene Lawrence's agent and I thought she'd be perfect for Lilly so I sent it to him to read. Charlene got her hands on it and flipped. She  _really_  wanted that role."

"If Charlene wanted to do the movie, wouldn't that have interested a major studio?" Logan smiled at her question and she knew she got it right.

"They  _were_  interested and then your sister swooped in with cash on hand and pitched me on the whole idea that no one knew this story better than she did. She had me convinced she really cared about making my movie, the  _right way,_  so I let her option it."

As an aside to her, Logan explained. "An option doesn't buy you the right to use the screenplay; it only gives you an exclusive right to purchase it at a later date, like a hold."

"And hold on to it is exactly what she did. She paid me and the studio and then bought Charlene out of her contract, just to let the movie sit."

Logan sighed, "what happened when the option expired?"

"She tried to get me to give her an extension, but I turned her down and went back to the studio only they didn't want any part of it. Jake Kane was making noises about suing them and throwing money at high powered attorneys."

"And Trina's offer started to look good to you."

"Not at first, there were other studios interested that didn't care about Jake Kane." He shrugged, "no such thing as bad publicity, right? But then Trina… she offered me  _a lot_  of money, if I would let her buy it and sign over all my rights."

Logan stood up, "come on Veronica let's go."

As soon as she got up, Logan was out the door. "Uh, thanks for talking to us, if I have more questions, can I call you?"

"Sure." He walked with her to the door, "it was good to see you Veronica." She wasn't really paying attention to him; she was too busy watching Logan pace the sidewalk. Justin jerked his head toward the open door, "is he okay?"

"I don't know, but I intend to find out."


	9. CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT

In the short time it took her to reach the car, Logan was already behind the wheel with the engine running. "Can you call Mac and see if she'll watch the baby a little longer?"

"Lunch at the beach?" Veronica asked hopefully.

He shook his head, "Neptune Grand to see Trina."

She did as he asked. When Mac picked up, she could hear Wyatt babbling in the background. "See, I told you it was mommy calling," Veronica smiled on the word  _mommy_ , "and I'm guessing you're not on your way home?"

"We can be if it's a problem."

"No this is rapidly turning into my favorite job title, Supreme Sitter? Chief Caregiver? What happened with the screenwriter?"

"Turns out he's someone I know, he went to Neptune High."

"Does anybody ever leave this town? Maybe it's some big government experiment in mind control?"

"Have you been taking brownies from Corny?"

"Yes, that's how the government is giving us the drugs. Corny is actually a spy."

"And selling wallets on Etsy is his cover?" Veronica grinned, "even our government could come up with a better secret identity than that."

"Where's my cynical and mistrustful best friend? She would believe government conspiracy and Corny…okay, I ruined my credibility making Corny the spy, how about unwitting patsy?"

"There you go. Now you can take your story to The Neptune Register and be tomorrow's headline." Both the valet and Logan were waiting for her to get out of the car, which she did. "I'm going to make Logan feed me lunch and then we're going to talk to Trina. Any new information for me?" Logan was heading for the front desk. She put her hand on his arm to stop his progress.

"I only managed to look into the security firm before Wyatt woke up. The firm, Porcellian Security has their corporate offices in,  _surprise_ , Neptune." She recited the address, "and Veronica? The owner of the company is listed as none other than Clarence Wiedman."

She frowned, "we may be a little longer than I thought."

"Take your time. Wyatt and I are planning to watch a riveting episode of Doc McStuffins and then she's going to tell me all about her life in the pen. The playpen, that is."

"Don't even mention my daughter and prison in the same sentence." Mac just laughed. "If you have any problems, call me." Mac was still chuckling when Veronica disconnected the call and returned the phone to her purse.

"Prison? Do we need to go home?" His tone was serious.  _What does it say about our lives that overhearing the word prison could actually mean something more than a joke?_

"No, but you need to feed me." She slipped her hand in his and started for the elevator while she shared Mac's unfunny pun. "She also told me the company Trina hired, Porcellian Security is owned by Clarence Wiedman."

"Porcellian like the final club at Harvard?" Veronica stared at him. " _Dum vivimus vivamus_ , while we live, let us live. It's their motto."

"Another rich boy secret society?" He just shrugged. "Don't you find it a little odd that Trina hired former Kane lackey as security for her movie? A movie the Kanes don't want her to make?"

"Trina, doing something odd? Shocker." He leaned his head back against the elevator, "although I suppose I should be nicer to her now. I don't know Veronica; it throws off my entire worldview. Is the sky still blue? Do bears shit in the woods? Is the Pope Catholic?"

The elevator pinged and the doors slid open. "Let's have lunch."

"I'm questioning my entire existence and all you can think about is food?"

"Did you just want to ride up and down in the elevator all day while your girlfriend grows increasingly cranky from her lack of sustenance?"

"Grows cranky? I thought that was your perpetual state of being." They didn't have reservations, but Logan took care of the problem with cash slipped to the maitre d'. "The rich  _still_  mocking you." His eyes grew wide as he listened to how much food she ordered. "Of course I'm going to have no money left, if you keep eating like that."

"The plates are small."

"And you know this how?"

"I ate here when I was pregnant and I left  _starving_. I needed to eat another dinner that night." Her eyes glazed over, "French Dip and chorizo potato skins, mmm. You should be glad you missed it, I was an insatiable eating machine."

Logan frowned. "I'm  _sorry_  I missed it. I want to be here for the next one."

"You were here for the important stuff."

"Purely by luck." No paternity leave for unmarried sailors. Apparently, the Navy was still stuck in the past where all babies needed to be born within the sanctity of marriage. His leave now was ordinary vacation time he'd accumulated.

Veronica broke a breadstick and slathered it with butter. "Savannah Miller?"

"I knew it was too easy," he mumbled. "She was the hairstylist for Carrie's music video."

The breadstick paused on its way to her mouth, "I thought you slept with her?"

"I did." Logan shifted in his chair and his eyes roamed over the other tables. His hand smoothed out the tablecloth and fiddled with the silverware. It was always easy to measure his level of frustration or distress by how much he moved.

Veronica tilted her head and stared at him. Faithfulness was inherent in Logan. Of all the qualities she loved about him that was one of her favorites. It could be a residual effect of having a father who constantly cheated on your mother, but she thought it was more about the way Logan loved a person. When he loved you, it was complete. You got him,  _all of him_ , his time, attention, focus. There was no way he cheated on Carrie.

"Were you waiting for details?" She finished her breadstick and buttered another one. Sometimes it was like trying to coax a frightened animal out of its cage. Veronica let him nip and snarl his way through it at his own pace. "We met on the set and I knew she was interested, but I was with Carrie." He huffed, "do you need to know this? Is it necessary for your case?"

"No. I don't need to know." She took a sip of water, "the waiter is coming with our food." The waiter set down four plates in front of Veronica and one in front of Logan. One plate with the very skinny lamb chop she remembered from her last visit. She grinned; there was no way that would be enough to fill him. He glared at the small chop. "Don't get any ideas," she gestured to her dishes, "this here is my food."

"French Dip and chorizo potato skins?"

"Maybe if you're good." She cut her steak in half, put the bigger piece on his plate and split her fancy cheesy potatoes with him.

"Now I know you love me."

"Giving birth to your child wasn't enough? I needed to share my food too? The things I must do."

He pushed his food around the plate, "it was after. I slept with Savannah after Carrie cheated on me with Sean. I was too smothering and intense. She needed  _space_."

"I'm sorry Logan." While faithfulness was his default setting in relationships, it was rarely reciprocated.

"Maybe it says more about me than it does about them? Apparently I don't rate fidelity."

There was a questioning lilt to his sentence. Veronica frowned.  _It seems you know he would never cheat, but he's not so sure about you. Duncan and Piz. Why won't our past leave us alone?_  "I've never cheated on you Logan and I will never cheat on you."

He leaned across the table and kissed her. "Can we talk about something simple for the rest of lunch? Read any good books lately?"

"Just yesterday I read  _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_. I really liked the part where he ate through the apple, but he was still hungry."

"That sounds very autobiographical."

"But I'm already a beautiful butterfly." She batted her eyes at him and he smiled. "After we talk to Trina, I think we should go home. Clarence Wiedman can wait until tomorrow."

His brows shot up in surprise. "Are you sure you'd survive the night without pursuing a clue?"

"I thought we were trying to have a normal conversation."

"I said simple. You and I don't do normal."

Her head tilted, "Really? I think we're pretty normal."

"That's scary." He shook his head, "how'd you manage to do that with a straight face?"

Veronica grinned. "I've got skills." She ate the last breadstick. "Maybe we should talk about what you're planning to say to Trina."

"You have no power here, be gone, before somebody drops a house on you too."

"I guess the being nice to Trina is going to take a little work."

"You know my best childhood memory, aside from meeting you on a soccer field that is," he grinned, "was a Saturday spent with my sister. I was six and she was fourteen. My parents were gone and we were alone. They'd left the night before for some big Hollywood premiere and they weren't coming back until Sunday."

"They left you alone?"

His grin widened, "that was so a mom voice." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Very mature Veronica. Do you want to hear this or not?"

"Sorry."

"The housekeeper was  _supposed_  to be there, but she didn't show up. That's why she got fired and they hired Mrs. Navarro. Anyway," he stretched the word out, "Trina had plans to spend the day with her friends, but she canceled because she couldn't leave me alone and I thought she would be a real bitch about it."

"Really? At six you thought she'd be a real bitch?"

"I was a very advanced six-year-old and who's telling this story me or you?"

She sighed, "you."

"Now where was I? Right, Trina being a bitch, only she wasn't. We ate cereal and watched cartoons, then spent the day in the pool. My epic cannonball skills? Trina." He smiled. It could've been the memory of that day or the memory of the countless times he soaked her and Lilly with those epic cannonballs when they were trying to tan poolside. "She made grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk for dinner. Then we stayed up all night eating ice cream and watching movies. It was the first time I saw Easy Rider."

It was heartbreakingly simple. That's what every day should be like for a child; cartoons, cannonballs in the pool, eating ice cream and it was rare enough in his life that it took on the importance of his best memory. No wonder Easy Rider was his favorite movie and why he wanted to name the baby Wyatt. "Did you and Trina spend more time together after that?"

"Nuh-uh Mars, one story is all you get." She pouted. "I could tell you what happened that Sunday when my father came home and found ice cream on his ten thousand dollar sofa, but it might besmirch your fond memories of the man."

"And ruin ice cream for me."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "and we wouldn't want that. Ice cream being your favorite food group." She turned her head and placed a kiss in his palm. "I'm going to ask Trina about the clinic."

"I don't know if we should." It would be better if they had all the information first. This way, they could tell if she was lying to them.  _Everybody lies. Let's not even discuss why this is your life philosophy, Veronica._  "Maybe you should find out what they do there before you ask her?"

Logan shook his head, "I want to give her a chance to tell me first." He picked up the check, "we should go it's time for my appointment in Samarra."

"How very Sturm und Drang of you," she muttered.

"Are you calling me dramatic?"

" _Melo_ dramatic.

"Like sands through the hourglass so are the days of Logan Echolls life."

Veronica rolled her eyes and dug out her cell to call Trina. When she answered, Veronica kept her tone casual, "hey I thought I'd stop by and give you a progress report, what room are you in?" A sardonic smile told her what Logan thought of her little misdirection routine. Trina gave her the room number. "See you in a little bit."

"Surprise attack?"

"It's how the west was won."

"Hmm, I thought it was killing the natives and stealing their land."

"Somebody  _was_  paying attention in history class." She hit the button for the ninth floor. Veronica gave him the room number and let him take the lead. He didn't seem in any hurry to reach Trina's suite and the twenty foot walk down the hall took a lot longer than necessary. First he paused to admire the new carpet and then he stopped to check out the artwork on the walls. The urge to push him down the hall was difficult to suppress and when they reached the door and he didn't immediately knock, Veronica almost growled with frustration. He lifted his hand to the door, paused, and then turned to grin at her.  _He knows how to drive me crazy both in and out of bed_. She knocked and he chuckled.

When Trina answered, she seemed mildly annoyed to find her brother. "Logan?"

"Hey sis." He strolled past her into the room. "Love what you've done with the place, early-American slob?"  _If this was his idea of being nice to Trina, they were in trouble_.

"I thought you were coming alone."

Veronica shrugged. "We were having lunch upstairs."

Logan pushed Trina's clothes off the sofa and made himself comfortable. "You act like you're not happy to see me, afraid?"

"Of your razor wit and cunning intellect? I think I can manage."

Some of the hard edge was gone, but the temperature in the room wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy. She waited for Trina to sit first, in the chair next to Logan, before picking a spot where she could keep both of them in view. "We went to see Justin Smith about the screenplay."

"Okay."  _It really is a universal word; right up there with nothing, fine, and whatever._

"Why'd you buy the script Reen?" The use of the nickname turned the temperature up a few degrees closer to warm.

She hesitated, "to make a movie?"

Logan ducked his head and his gaze softened. Trina's hand was resting on the arm of her chair and he leaned forward to give it a gentle squeeze.  _Irresistible_ ; was the word running through Veronica's thoughts. "Come on, tell me," his words were gentle.

An audible sigh, "I was in Switzerland when I got a call from Conner. He said there was a script floating around Hollywood about Lilly. Someone thought it would be brilliant casting to have him play Aaron. The protégé plays the mentor." A look of disgust crossed her face.

_Isn't that exactly what you're doing Trina?_  She thought it, but she didn't say it.

"I had him overnight it to me and when I read it…it's actually really good. The dialogue was sharp and funny. It was well paced and suspenseful. The character of Lilly was one of those roles you could sink your teeth into. A possible Oscar winner. The way he wrote it, she's central to the story. Even after she's murdered, she appears as a ghost…"

Veronica's sharp intake of breath made both of them turn their heads to her. Logan's brow furrowed, "are you okay?" She didn't trust herself to say anything. Forcing a smile, she nodded at him.

"When Conner told me Charlene Lawrence was attached to play Lilly, I knew there was no way this movie wouldn't get made and…" she gnawed on her bottom lip. "I didn't really care about the movie itself. I just wanted Justin to cut the final scene."

"Where I kill Lilly."

Trina nodded. "I asked him to change the order; Weevil, Jake, Duncan and then Aaron with no mention of you. It would still leave it up to the audience to decide, but because it was the end, most people would conclude Aaron was guilty."

_Instead of Logan_. "Justin wouldn't change the script?"

Trina tore her gaze away from Logan and turned to Veronica. Her relief at Veronica taking over the questions was palatable. "He carried on about artistic integrity and that all the suspects needed to be included. To which I fired back that he conveniently left out Celeste and accused him of being sexist. Like women can't commit murder too."

_There's the new poster slogan for feminism; women can be murderers too_. "After that, how did you convince him to let you option the script?"

"I apologized, told him it was just my  _passion_  for the project and then I offered him a lot of money."

"How did you get the studio on board?"

"Jake Kane took care of that. Once he started threatening them, they were happy to dump the project. Charlene was a little more difficult, but I told her my shooting schedule was going to cause a conflict with her Twilight Divergent Games thing and she let me buy her out of her contract."

"What happened when the option expired?"

"I thought it would go away. We Hollywood types have a short attention span."  _That's the most self aware thing I've ever heard Trina say_. From the surprised look on Logan's face, it was for him too. "I put it in a drawer and forgot about it. I was tired of acting, but it's the only thing I know how to do and I didn't even do it well. It was fun pretending to be other people, because…." She shook her head, "anyway, I started working with a small theater company; building sets, writing plays, directing. It was quiet."

"And then Justin tried selling his script to another studio?"

Trina nodded. "Tenacious fuck." Logan started laughing and Trina grinned. "Well he was. He wouldn't extend my option and there was a bidding war going on between two different studios. Charlene was interested again. The trades were going crazy with the rumors and it was all spiraling out of control."

"So you threw money at it." Logan's statement was without rancor or judgment.

"Isn't that the first rule of the Echolls Family Playbook? Money covers a multitude of sins?" The siblings exchanged a look and Logan nodded at her.

"Once you owned the script why not let it go? Why make a movie?"

"Because I was broke." She shrugged, "I wasn't exactly destitute, but… I had the script and I thought if I rewrote it and changed the names… I swapped parents, kept the locations."

"Why were you in Switzerland?" It was a very gentle opening gambit and Veronica was impressed. She expected him to go right for the clinic in a heavy handed approach, but he was playing it subtle.

"I shopped my way through all of Europe."  _Good response. Not a lie and vague enough to give nothing away_.

"And decided to settle in Geneva?"

As soon as he uttered  _Geneva_ , Trina's gaze narrowed and she turned to Veronica. "Have you been investigating  _me_?"

"It came up."  _On a computer search you had Mac do_.

Trina weighed the words. Veronica could tell she was cycling through ways that her location could've come up in the investigation. It would only take her a few minutes before she landed on, "Conner told you?"

Now she could either lie with a yes or she could confess to her prying. Logan took the choice out of her hands, "what is Kleine Schritte?"

"German I think."  _Nice one, Trina_.

Logan frowned, "why won't you tell me…"

"How about because it's none of your business?" Trina stood. "Don't you two have to get home to Wyatt?"

Veronica could tell Logan wasn't ready to let the subject drop, but she could also see they weren't going to get any further with Trina and she needed to ask some questions about the movie. "Are all of the cast and crew staying here at the hotel?"

"The above-the-line talent are staying here; everyone else is at the Suite Stay." As she answered, she started walking toward the door, a not-so-subtle hint she wanted them to leave. Trina leaned against the open door and waited for them.

If she didn't intervene, this battle of wills between the two could go on for days. She knew from experience that when he wanted something, Logan could put Justin to shame in the tenacious department. "We need to go home Logan."

He sighed and stood. On his way past his sister, he paused, "I love you too Reen."

Trina's eyes followed him from the suite. Her expression mirrored Logan's sad and wistful look from last night. When Veronica started to leave, Trina grabbed her arm. "Please stop investigating Kleine Schritte."

"Why?"

"I don't want Logan to know."


	10. CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

 _I don't want Logan to know_. This was a problem. Hearing someone tell her she couldn't do something or that she should stop investigating something was akin to waving a red flag in front of a bull. Kleine Schritte, Trina's secret clinic, potentially held the answer to her question of motive. It was possible that a person from those four years was seeking revenge against Trina and to find them Veronica needed to delve into the mystery surrounding said clinic, but she couldn't get the answers without Logan's help. Even if she did find a way to do it on her own, once she knew the story how could she not share it with him? Her mind easily supplied the justification.  _It's not your secret to tell Veronica, it belongs to Trina_.

Their drive home from The Neptune Grand was absent conversation. Logan turned on the radio; a sure sign that he didn't feel like talking, which was a relief because it allowed her time to think. Of course, after sending Mac home, feeding Wyatt, cleaning the living room and taking a long shower, her thoughts hadn't progressed past not knowing what to do.  _Damn you Trina_.

"It's unnerving when you're this quiet."

Veronica popped up from behind the refrigerator door to find him leaning against the counter. "I was deciding what to make for dinner."

"Don't get me wrong, I love domestic Veronica, but you've been staring at those shelves for twenty minutes."

She bent over, shimmied her butt and peeked at him over her shoulder, "been enjoying the view have you?"

"It's one of my favorite sights."

"One?" Removing the chicken breast from the freezer drawer, she put it on the counter and took jalapeno peppers from the fridge.

"Paris is nice too."

She took out lettuce and tomatoes and added them to her pile. "If you're thinking honeymoon, start thinking Italy and Greece."

Logan shook his head, "Dick's really got his heart set on Teahupo'o; the waves are bitchin."

"A surfing honeymoon?"

He grinned, "got to keep the little woman happy."

Veronica tilted her head and frowned, "I thought you were the girl?"

"In  _this_  relationship maybe." He pulled her against him and kissed the top of her head, "so what's really going on in that beautiful mind of yours?"

"I'm thinking about Trina."

He took a step back, then another and finally turned away suddenly fascinated by the Keurig coffee machine. It was a recent addition to the counter. New purchases just kept appearing in the house. Veronica grinned;  _Logan was nesting_. "I'm thinking Island Coconut coffee; it goes with the theme of my Tahitian honeymoon."

"Too bad you'll be in Italy and Greece."

"If we're trying for trite honeymoon destinations, I'll just book us a room at Niagara Falls. Less expensive and I hear the Maid of the Mist boat ride is a must." He cupped his hands around the mug of coffee and returned to leaning against the counter. "Fiji? Indonesia? The Maldives?"

Veronica turned on the food processor, "sorry can't hear you." This was one of the recipes Dick showed her how to make; chicken tostadas with avocado dressing. Bed rest and boredom turned into cooking lessons with Dick;  _new life skills and also an effective way to keep from killing him_. She turned off the machine, "Trina asked me to stop investigating Kleine Schritte."

"I heard her. She might not know how to act, but she can project loud enough for the cheap seats."

"Does that mean you also heard her,  _I don't want Logan to know_ , comment?" He nodded. "So was this a test? You'd keep the information to yourself and wait to see if I would share?" Only with Logan could she move from concern to teasing flirt and up to mad in two point seven seconds. It was dizzying.

"Hey Veronica, it's not all about you." Mocking, but without any anger. "No test, I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet."

Now she was no longer mad at him, but herself. She put the avocado dressing in the fridge to chill and thawed the chicken in the microwave. Testing her certainly wasn't the worse thing she'd ever accused Logan of doing, but she needed to learn how to stop snapping at him. "Why do you put up with me?"

Logan swept the hair away from her neck and planted a trail of kisses up her spine. "You're sexy when you cook." One arm snaked around her waist while his mouth found that spot on her neck,  _the spot_ , that only he seemed to be able to find.

"Logan," a soft sigh.

"Hmm." He nibbled on her ear. "I love you Veronica Mars."

Her eyes closed and she leaned back into him, "dinner's going to burn."

"We can eat cake."

One eye popped open, "cake? We've got cake?"

She felt his smile against her throat. "Good to know I can be replaced with a slice of German Chocolate Nutgasm."

"From the Hut?" Veronica eyed the refrigerator, "you're not just toying with me right?"

"I was trying," Logan groaned and stepped back in defeat.

She pouted, "I meant about the cake."

"Sadly I know that." He pulled open the fridge and leaned in. From the far reaches of the bottom shelf, hidden behind a bunch of kale, he retrieved a plastic container.

She lowered the flame on the chicken, got a fork and hopped up on the counter to eat her cake. "What do you want to do about Trina?"

"Obviously Conner has information about the clinic since he was able to reach her. When we talk to him tomorrow, we'll ask him what he knows." He picked up his coffee, "and was he really done sleeping with Julie? I don't see him as the, I can't have her so no one else can type, but…" He shrugged.

"When  _we_  talk to him?"

"While you were in the shower I called Dottie to have her babysit tomorrow. Conner is going to meet us for lunch at Breakers and we have an appointment at Porcellian Security at three."

"Someone was busy."

He smiled, "don't worry I'm billing you for my time."

"What do you think your sister's hiding?" Her words made his smile disappear. "And are you really okay with trying to find out something she doesn't want you to know?"

"Chicken's done." He turned off the stove.

Veronica slid off the counter to finish cooking. She shredded the chicken, sautéed the jalapenos with garlic and added the chicken to it. Then she fried the tortillas. "Dick stresses the importance of plating, he says you eat with your eyes first."

"Did Veronica Mars just quote Dick Casablancas? God, Veronica my world was shaky enough to begin with and now you're quoting  _Dick_?"

Ignoring him, she put the tortilla on a plate and covered it with the chicken mixture. Crumbled queso fresco, shredded lettuce and diced tomato were next. Finally, she put a few dollops of the avocado dressing on top, "ahí está"

Logan took the offered plate. "Gracias mi amada." He put the dish on the table, took down two glasses from the cabinet and got lemonade from the fridge. "It certainly wasn't for her spending addiction. Drugs?"

When Veronica finished making her plate she joined him at the table. "Maybe." She had her own thoughts on what Trina was hiding and there was no point speculating until they were sure. "Above the line talent?"

"It has to do with the budget. Actors, directors, producers and writers are above the line because they are usually fixed expenses. Below the line is the film crew." He started eating, "what's our next step Nancy Drew?"

"Well  _Ned_ ," at his arched brow, she elaborated, "Ned Nickerson, Nancy's boyfriend."

"I was always partial to Frank Hardy."

"But you're pretty enough to be Joe." When he didn't comment, she continued. "I'm going to have Mac run a background check on Julie. If the pranks were to make her death look like an accident, this might not be about Trina at all. Then I want to check in with Norris and see if I can get the case file. How the lights were tampered with may tell me the electrical skill level required."

"What are you going to do about the Kanes? I can't imagine they're going to willfully talk to you."

"I don't know." There weren't that many options open to her. Neither Celeste nor Jake would consider her one of their favorite people. Ditto for her father. "Do you want to talk to them?"

"I'm sure they like me even less than you. Not that I can blame them." He took a long, slow sip of his lemonade. "My father killed their daughter Veronica. I can't even…now that we have Wyatt... I don't think I ever considered what they went through."

That was the thing about grief. Sometimes you got so locked in to dealing with your own loss you never stopped to realize others around you were suffering too. She studied his face.

When she told him Trina came back at the wrong time, she wasn't kidding. This entire thing was taking a toll on Logan. Not only did he have to deal with the reappearance of his sister, but also his past. All while trying to cope with being a new father.  _Plus all your craziness too, Veronica_.

"Do you know where Duncan is?"

 _How long has he been holding on to that question?_  "You know he's not an actual suspect, right?"

He sighed. "Duncan fled the country with an infant and has managed to stay hidden for eleven years; he didn't do that without help. Duncan? Not a planner."

"I helped him get across the border to Mexico, but after that…" She shrugged. "It was better for everyone if I didn't know where he was going." Veronica held his gaze, "we've had no contact, at all, since he left." A screaming Wyatt put an end to their conversation. "I'll get her, you finish eating."

Wyatt's face was scrunched and red from the exertion of wailing. She was also sopping wet along with her mattress and the smell from her diaper… Veronica's scrunched face matched the baby. "What's wrong sweet pea? Does your tummy hurt?" She stripped off the soiled footie pajamas and carried Wyatt to the changing table.

Changing a squirming, crying baby was not easy. She started to hum and then sing, " _Tura lura lura, Tura lura li, Tura lura lura, hush now don't you cry…over in Killarney, many years ago, my mother sang a song to me, in tones so sweet and low_." The baby stopped crying and stared at her. Veronica smiled. " _Just a simple little ditty, in her good old Irish way, and I'd give the world to hear her sing, that song of hers today_." She zipped up the new clean pajamas and cuddled Wyatt.

"Beautiful." Logan was standing in the doorway, hands shoved in his pockets, watching them. The look in his eyes was the reason she was done running away from him. He joined her in the middle of the room, kissed Wyatt's head and wrapped his arms around both of them. "Let's run away, just the three of us."

Her fingertips trailed along his jaw, "I was just thinking how nice it is to want to stay."

"When you say things like that…" He kissed her forehead. "I love you," he murmured the words against her skin.

"I love you too." She started to pass him the baby, "take Wyatt while I clean up her crib."

"I'll do it, she's probably hungry." Veronica was positive she heard him add " _appetite like her mother_ ," but he was the picture of innocence as he stripped the sheet from the crib and washed down the mattress. He disappeared from the room with the dirty items and returned with a fresh crib sheet. After flipping over the mattress, he put on the new sheet and stared at the bed. He was back in that place in his head. His hands gripped the top railing and he took a deep breath. "I'm going to take a walk," is what he said, but he didn't leave.

His demons were chasing him. It made her equal parts angry because she wanted to fight them for him and sad that she didn't know how to comfort him. His dealing with a wet bed was the only thing to change. Why that could pull him into himself was something Veronica didn't want to contemplate. "Logan?" He turned around. "Come sit with us."

He sat on the ottoman, facing them with his knees touching hers. "You really are the best thing to ever happen to me." There was a slight tremble as his fingers grazed Wyatt's cheek. She was done eating and starting to drift back to sleep. Veronica handed her to Logan. Immediately, he nestled her close to his chest and kissed her head.

"You sit with her awhile. I'm going to clean the kitchen." Before leaving the room, she kissed him and turned off the baby monitor. It was about trust. Maybe if she could show him her faith that he would never hurt Wyatt, he would start to believe it about himself.  _It appears my level of hate for Aaron Echolls knows no bounds._

After loading the dishwasher and cleaning the counters, she got her laptop and headed into the living room. There wasn't anything she could do with a computer concerning the clinic that Mac couldn't do better, but, now knowing it was German, she could at least find out what it meant: small steps.  _That's really helpful Google, thanks_.

Logan came in carrying two cups of coffee and handed her one before sitting on the sofa next to her. He inclined his head toward the computer.

"Kleine Schritte means small steps."

"Zoinks Daphne I think you've solved the case."

Veronica grinned, "and they would've gotten away with it too if it wasn't for us meddling kids." She took a sip of her coffee, "and thanks for making me Daphne."

"She is the hot redhead," he twirled her hair around his finger.

"Cartoon characters aren't hot."

"My teenage self disagrees with you." He leaned back, "Jessica Rabbit, Wonder Woman, Josie and the Pussycats. Mmm, I had fantasies about making them purr." She elbowed him, "hot beverage here."

Veronica typed Porcellian Security into the search engine. The sponsored ads were for ADT, followed by articles about the Porcellian Club and a Wikipedia entry about the same club. She clicked on the link. It really was a men-only final club at Harvard. Theodore Roosevelt and Oliver Wendell Holmes, both junior and senior, were some of their illustrious members. Logan even got the Latin motto right. It was compared to Yale's Skull and Bones and the Ivy Club at Princeton.  _Ah, the lifestyles of the rich and famous and, in some cases, the infamous_. She hit the back button and scrolled through until she found the link to Porcellian Security.

The security company was founded five years ago and it had three office locations; Los Angeles, New York, and Neptune. They didn't deal in home security systems and they weren't interested in providing nighttime security guards for lowly office buildings. No, Clarence Wiedmans's company dealt with the high-end clientele.

They offered private bodyguards for actors and actresses, moguls, visiting dignitaries, and politicians. Movie security for location sets and at the studios, major event security, risk assessment and even a division with kidnap and ransom specialists.  _Oh, the irony._  She was positive Clarence was the one to help Duncan move from Mexico to wherever he'd been living these past years. As Logan said; Duncan was not a planner.

None of this helped her prepare for tomorrow's meeting, but at least she wasn't walking into his offices completely blind.  _Maybe Mars Investigations could expand to include security? I could totally follow Paris Hilton around as she shopped on Rodeo Drive, but could I trust myself that close to her while carrying a gun? Hmm, maybe not._

"Don't think too hard Mars you might hurt yourself."

He wasn't even looking at her. His head was bent back, resting on top of the sofa and he was staring at the ceiling. "Right back atcha Echolls." She studied him, "hey weren't you supposed to meet Weevil tonight?"

"Canceled."

"You keep canceling plans with him; he's not going to ask you to Prom." That garnered her a slight smile. "Want more coffee?" Head shake.

Veronica searched Conner Larkin. A link to his IMDb profile was first, followed by his Wikipedia page and then a section for recent news. To the right of the screen were various images with a quick bio and a brief listing of his movies including Vector Force Ten with Aaron. One of the images was of him and Trina on the red carpet. "The Oscars are in February right?"

"End of February, early March depending."

"Ever walked the red carpet?"

"Once or twice." He was still staring at the ceiling and she wondered what horrible memories were playing across the white paint.

"It looks like your sister was dating Conner before they started working on the movie. They went to the awards together."

He smirked, "were they seat-fillers?"

"That's really a thing and not just a Seinfeld episode?" She wanted Logan to leave his thoughts and come back to her. That desire and concern was reflected in her voice and it succeed in rousing him from his torpor.

He dropped a hand on the nape of her neck and gently started to rub. "Really a thing," he kissed her shoulder. The random searches were rapidly losing their appeal.

She bumped his leg with her knee as she typed Julie Hanson's name into Google. "Wanna fool around?"

Logan grinned, "are you toying with me?"

"I'm trying." The results page looked the same as Conner's; IMDb, Wikipedia, images, but in the news section there were four article links. The first three were about her death. The last one was dated a few days ago and it read " _Julie Hanson obtains three-year restraining order against…_ " Veronica clicked on the link.

There was a picture of Julie leaving the courthouse with her attorney. The caption under the photo read " _Hanson obtains restraining order against stalker."_ The article was short: _Julie Hanson has obtained a three-year restraining order against a stalker who threatened to kill anyone who stood between him and the star. A judge has ordered that Perry McDermott stay 100 yards away from Hanson for the next three years. The twenty-two year old actress secured a temporary order against McDermott earlier this month after she told a Balboa court she feared for her safety. Documents provided to the Court included terrifying emails, letters and social media posts_."

A photo of the Notice of Court Hearing, filed in the Balboa County Superior Court was included at the bottom. It set the actual hearing date and granted her a temporary Order until such date. "Ruh-roh."


	11. CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN

Julie's stalker was completely forgotten about when they got to the "fooling around" part of the program. It didn't really help with her frustration, but Logan slept like a baby.  _Dumbest expression ever_. Tonight was her turn, if they ever got to the doctor on time. She hurried down the hall and caught the end of her father's complaining.

"…how else would I get to see my granddaughter? You never come to visit."

Veronica walked into the room smiling, "you were here on Sunday."

"That's four days kiddo." He shook his head, "she's your daughter, which means she's probably walking and talking already. Have I missed her first sassy quip and sarcastic eye roll?"

"As a matter of fact, you just missed  _her_. She drove herself over to Hearst to take a tour of the campus before she applies."

"Sure, it's all fun and games now, but wait until you see how fast it goes." Keith snapped his fingers.

Logan gave her a smug  _I-told-you-so_  smile and she rolled her eyes. "We don't have time for your rendition of 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing,' we're going to be late."

"Someone's in a hurry." Now he looked way too pleased with himself, which resulted in another eye roll from Veronica.

Dottie came in carrying Wyatt, "all changed."

The baby was wearing an outfit she'd never seen; a blue and white striped swing top with bows on the sides and a navy diaper cover. Veronica bit the corner of her lip to keep from smiling, "you need to stop buying her presents."

Dottie just "humphed," but she did it with a smile. Logan took the baby from her for goodbye kisses and snuggles. This time he was the one who went through the list of baby instructions before passing Wyatt to Keith. Veronica just shrugged at them in an unspoken apology, kissed the baby and followed Logan from the house.

"You do realize that between the two of them, they've raised four kids."

He smirked, "and look at how well you turned out."

"You sweet talker you; you're gonna make me blush." She held out her hand, "keys please."

He dropped them in her open palm and headed for the passenger side, "what you're not going to hold the door open for me?"

"Come on move your ass Echolls, times-a-wastin'." It was still too early for her to attempt the parking lot they optimistically called the freeway. The surface streets were slightly better, but it seemed she got stuck at every light between their house and the doctor's office. She impatiently drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. When they arrived, she didn't even bother trying to find a spot, instead pulling into a lot and turning the car over to an attendant. "What time are we meeting Conner?"

"Noon." He set a leisurely pace, trailing a few steps behind her.

Veronica stopped short and turned to him. This felt like another dancing around the issues and trying to be tactful moment.  _Cowboy up, Mars_. "I don't know if it's having Wyatt at home or having you with me, but I feel off my game." His expression flashed,  _sarcasm alert_ , and she waited for the comment, but none came. "I don't feel free," she paused for the hurt look, but his face remained impassive. "When I'm working, I just… _go_. Now there are schedules and babysitters and breast pumps…"

He nodded. "After your doctor's appointment, I'll call a cab and go home."

"No. I don't want… _shit_." She turned on her heel and stalked down the sidewalk. When she reached the door, she glanced back at him.  _What is wrong with you Veronica?_  "I don't want you to go home. I've missed you and this is nice, being together. It's just…different. I  _feel_  different."

Logan cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "You do what you need to do Veronica; pretend like I'm not even here."

Her eyes slid over his body, "no one's imagination is that good."

"I have faith in you."

They were silent during the elevator ride. It was true; she did like having him with her. It wasn't like they'd never done this before; late night stakeouts, talking to suspects, investigating leads, all done, correction, most done, okay,  _some_  done without guns being drawn and fights being started. Maybe it was Wyatt and not him. Yesterday when Mac told her about Clarence Wiedman, old Veronica, pre-motherhood Veronica, would've hopped in her car after seeing Trina and raced to his office and then, depending on what she learned, she would've tracked down her next clue. Dinner would be takeout eaten in the car instead of a meal at home cooked by her.

Old Veronica would have stayed at the crime scene and poked around. She wouldn't have raced home to show Logan she was okay. Hell, she might not have even  _called_  him from the scene, but she'd wanted to go home. She'd wanted to see him, to see Wyatt. Leaving the baby all day made her feel bad. Some of it was anxiety about being away from her and some of it was guilt because she was  _enjoying_  being Veronica and not mommy. Maybe this was always her problem. She didn't know how to do both.  _We don't do normal_.

Veronica went to check in at the desk and left Logan to find seats. When she finished signing in and filling out paperwork, she joined him. He was reading an issue of  _Parenting_ , which made her smile. "Interesting?" A vague, 'mmm' was his response. She peeked at the article,  _Dadvice: The Ultimate Collection of Advice for Fathers_  and her grin expanded.

He tilted the magazine toward her and tapped number eighteen:  _'Imagine being hired as a pilot with no training and being told, "Here's the cockpit. Good luck getting to Houston." That's what it's like coming home with a newborn. And it's like that for everyone.'_

Veronica watched his face while he read; a few nods, an occasional smile, a smirk, and complete concentration like he was committing the finer points to memory. "Hey Logan?" His gaze slid to her, "I love you." He smiled at her and went back to his article.

The wait was longer than the appointment itself and when she returned to Logan he was still reading. He looked up, "all done?"

"No this is intermission."

"Smart ass." He tossed the magazine on the table and stood.

"Is that the best you've got? Smart ass? No witty comeback, no sarcastic retort. I have to say I'm a little disappointed with your lack of originality."

"Sorry I'm not stimulating enough for you; maybe we can work on that tonight?"

She grinned, "here's hoping."

They held hands on their walk to retrieve the car. She took Sunset Cliffs to Santa Monica Avenue and turned toward the ocean. The last time she'd been at Breakers was the day of her bail hearing. Her mind during that drive was preoccupied with thoughts of Logan and her impending murder trial not directions. "It's a left."

Veronica shook her head. The man knew her too well. She made the left turn. Three blocks down, she spotted the restaurant and pulled in to the lot. As they crossed the street she was already thinking about the artichoke frizzles.

Dick was circulating through the main dining room. He was talking to a table of five, but when he saw them, he excused himself and sauntered over, "dude, I got the lease."

"Congrats." Logan shook his head, "but I'm not sure New York is ready for you."

"Well Dick is ready to take a bite of the apple."

"Is it poisoned?" Dick grinned at her. "No. Really. Of course, you should know the apple tends to bite back."

"Worried about me Ronnie? Don't be, I like when they bite."

Logan smirked, "I think they charge extra for that, payment up front and in cash."

"Military discounts? Maybe you could lend me your uniform."

Veronica rolled her eyes and looked around the restaurant, "is Conner here yet?"

"Nope. Where do you want to sit?"

"Patio." The main dining room was crowded, but the outside terrace looked almost deserted.  _Too hot for the tourists._  Maybe she couldn't get to the beach, but at least she could admire it from the deck.

He shoved three menus in her hand, "you know the way."

"Excellent customer service Dick."

"A lesson on people skills from Veronica Mars? I'll pass." Surprising all three of them, Dick pulled her into a big bear hug that lifted her off her feet. "Don't miss me too much Rons and stay out of trouble." He put her back on her feet before releasing her. A slight wave and he moved away toward the back of the restaurant. Veronica frowned at his retreating back.

"Seriously Veronica when did Dick become your new BFF? First you're quoting him in the kitchen and now…"

"Is Dick  _moving_  to New York?"

"You don't sound happy. I thought you'd be on the phone with a party planner ordering balloons and confetti or, at the very least, organizing a parade down Main Street."  _Did Mac know? Was this why she was grumpy yesterday?_  She wished Logan hadn't interrupted their conversation. "Relax Mars; he's only going to be gone a few months. He's opening a new restaurant in Times Square."

"Guess that means I should cancel the marching band and stop building the float." She chose a table close to the railing, but with a good sightline of the door. The hostess was back at her station by the front when Conner arrived. She pointed in their general direction and Conner made his way toward them. It was slow progress. He cast an assessing eye at every table he passed. It was if he was waiting for someone to acknowledge him and his celebrity status. Unbidden, the tune ran through her head, ' _you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you_.'

Veronica frowned. That wasn't the way she remembered Conner. Granted she'd only met him twice, three times if you counted their quick exchange before discovering Julie, but he was likeable and charming.  _Aging in Hollywood must be rough_. She flashed on Aaron's testimony from Lilly's trial; " _Then I got older, I started getting cast as the father…I'm just some old guy…young, beautiful girl."_ Was Conner experiencing the same feelings as his mentor? Maybe his relationship with Julie was underscored by the same pathetic excuses Aaron gave for sleeping with Lilly. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

Logan was staring at her. He knew something was wrong and that her mind had retreated to one of those dark places they shared. Even all these years later, he still knew her better than anyone else. Regret twisted her heart when she considered the time they lost.

Conner arrived at the table. A quick nod of greeting, "Logan."

"Conner." While he knew her better than anyone else, she knew him too. His soft greeting and relaxed posture were deceptive, but his eyes gave him away. They were intense and focused. Bored with an air of lazy indifference, but ready to strike at any second; he was like a cat toying with a mouse. People underestimated Logan; his brains, his wit, his determination, and strength. They also failed to see how fiercely loyal and overprotective he could be and that was usually their first mistake. "You remember Veronica right?"

His blank expression said he didn't. After a minute or two, recognition dawned in his eyes and then dimmed to confusion. He probably placed her as the redhead on Trina's movie set, but seeing her now, in this context with Logan, he wasn't sure.

"She kicked your ass at poker and exposed your addiction to sun tea?" Logan prompted.

It took a minute for him to reconcile the past with the present and then it clicked. "Christmas party, the night Aaron got stabbed." He nodded, "you figured out who stole the money." His gaze swung between them, "I thought you two hated each other?" Veronica smiled and Logan shrugged. Conner's look said he didn't understand and wasn't even going to try. He took a seat and picked up a menu. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"

"She wants to talk to you," Logan pointed at her, "I'm just here for my scintillating commentary."

The waitress arrived to take their order. Veronica stuck to the lusted-after artichoke frizzles and a Deckhand burger with a milkshake and then asked for one of the flatbread pizzas with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, spinach and pesto. Logan smiled at her. When Conner selected the Caesar salad with grilled chicken and said he'd be fine with just water, Logan's grin widened. She could practically  _hear_  his sarcastic thoughts about salad and water and Conner watching his girlish figure. Logan ordered the Surfin' Chicken loaded with avocado, Ortega chilies, bacon, and cheddar and jack cheeses served on a toasted Baguette. It sounded so good, she contemplated changing her order. She gave him the,  _you're going to share with me right_ , look and he shook his head.

Once the waitress departed, she turned to Conner. "How long have you and Trina been a couple?"

"I don't know; a year? Year and a half?"

"So six months after she got back from Switzerland?"

"Give or take." His lackadaisical attitude about his relationship with Trina was evidenced in his casual answers.  _And in the cheating, don't forget the cheating_.

"But you called her at Kleine Schritte when you heard about Blood Lilly?"

He nodded, "Trina and I weren't what you'd call friends, but we moved in the same circles. I'd run into her at parties, award shows, things like that." He shrugged, "when I got the script I thought she'd want to know."

"If you weren't friends, how did you know how to get in touch with her?"

"I asked around. Someone, I don't remember who, told me she was at this clinic in Geneva. Weird place, clients could only receive phone calls on the weekend and you needed a code to access the switchboard."

She feigned an air of nonchalance, "do you remember the code?"

Conner made a face, "that was like two years ago." He took a sip of water, "what's with all the questions?"

"I'm investigating Julie's murder."

The word made him uncomfortable and he shifted in his seat, "it was an accident."

_Lamb would take that as a confession_. Veronica shook her head, "maybe manslaughter if the D.A. is convinced there was no malice aforethought, but still a homicide." She let the words sink in before continuing, "when did you first notice the pranks on set?"

"Right away. They were pretty harmless and some of them were funny like the itching powder in Chad's swim trunks."

"Greg, Peter, and Bobby must've had a good laugh at that one."

Veronica smiled at both the reference and Conner's apparent lack of comprehension. "Were you worried?"

"I thought the whole thing was cursed from the beginning. The first script was great, in poor taste, but still really good. Then Trina hacked it to death. The lawsuits, people quitting and getting fired and finally the sabotage, it was cursed."

"Why did you agree to do the movie in the first place?"

"For Trina. I even agreed to work for  _scale_."

"You're a real humanitarian."

Whatever response Conner was going to make to Logan's dig was lost with the arrival of their food. As soon as the waitress set his plate down, Logan took half his sandwich and put it on Veronica's dish. She pushed the artichokes and flatbread pizza closer to him so they could share. "When did you start sleeping with Julie?"

He had the good grace to look embarrassed and ashamed.  _Good grace or good acting skills_. "Um, Julie was very into playing Lilly Kane."

Veronica swallowed her bite of burger, "what do you mean?"

"Even with all the script changes; Violet was still Lilly. The cast knew it, the press knew it, and  _Julie_  knew it. She went all method; hanging around Neptune High, making friends with the Pep Squad. She might be twenty-two, but she had no problem passing for a sixteen-year-old."

His acknowledging that amped up Veronica's level of disgust at his affair with Julie.  _Yuck_. "Julie was trying to be Lilly."

Conner nodded, "the Kane house is vacant. The current owners rented the entire thing to the production and Julie was staying in Lilly's old bedroom."

_When did "method" turn into creep_ y? "And she slept with you."

Another nod, "and Chad and Frankie, the guy playing the biker character."

_Oh Lilly_. She glanced at Logan. His face was turned away and he was staring at the ocean. "Was she actually going to  _school_  at Neptune?"

"I don't know, maybe. Julie was the one who wanted to film here and she kept trying to make Trina insert more of the original script into the movie. Trina was being very accommodating until…"

"Until she found out you were sleeping with her." His hangdog expression confirmed Veronica's guess. "Did you ever talk to Trina about her time at Kleine Schritte?" Logan's attention snapped back to the table. He carefully studied Veronica's face before moving his gaze to Conner.

"Not really. It made her tense and angry when I brought it up so I stopped bringing it up. The only thing she ever said, when I asked her why she optioned the script if she wasn't going to make it a movie, was that she owed it to Logan. I thought it was about making amends for something; that's one of the steps, right?"

"Step nine," Logan confirmed.

More nods from Conner, "so I figured it was rehab."

Step eight was compiling a list of people you hurt and step nine was actually making  _direct_  amends. Buying a script to keep her brother from being seen as a murderer on film without him even knowing about it was not direct amends. Rehab still didn't feel right to Veronica. "Did you know about Julie's stalker?"

"We  _all_  knew about Perry McDermott. Julie wouldn't shut up about him. She hired Porcellian Security to give her round-the-clock protection and insisted Trina hire them as set security. She was positive Perry was going to kill her like that actress from…" His face was ashen, "you don't think he…"

"Maybe." Veronica ate the last frizzle, "what was Julie like?"

"You mean when she wasn't busy being Lilly?" She nodded. "Insecure and a little flaky," a self deprecating smile, "like most actors. She grew up in the business, well in England. Television commercials, British soaps, a few BBC productions. Her dad worked there as an editor. When he crossed the pond to work on a film here, she came with him."

"When did you stop sleeping with her?"

A deep flush of humiliation colored his face, "uh…um…two weeks ago."

Veronica pushed, "why? Did something happen? Did she do something?"

"She...um...she called me…"

He squirmed and Veronica knew exactly what she called him, but she wasn't feeling very sympathetic, "she called you Aaron. Were you in bed at the time?" Conner looked away and she had her answer. "Was anyone else having problems with Julie?"

"Nobody liked her." That was a sad commentary considering she was sleeping with at least three cast members.  _With all the musical beds when did they have time to film anything?_  "She criticized everyone's performances, kept making demands and was an all around pain in the…" He fell silent.

She was done eating and, even if she wasn't, she didn't want to hear anymore. "Thanks Conner."

"I hope it helps."

It certainly didn't help with her opinion of Conner, but it might help with the case. She got up from the table and waited for Logan to do the same. As he was getting out of his chair he leaned in close to Conner. "Don't worry about the check; I've got it, but Conner?" His voice was dangerously low, "cheat on my sister again and our next conversation won't be this pleasant."


	12. CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

They had almost two hours until their meeting with Clarence Wiedman. On her way across the street, she called Mac. Her, "Mars Investigations," lacked enthusiasm.

"I swear; next big paying client, I'll hire a receptionist."

"Should I be recording this conversation? I feel like I should."

Veronica smiled, "I'll put it in writing."

"I'll have it typed up and waiting for you to sign, but you should know I'm not sharing my desk with yet another perky blonde."

"Did I forget to refill the stapler again?" There wasn't enough space. Dad was back to working cases full-time and, with the influx of recent business, Mac was no longer just a consultant.  _Logan's right, we need to find new offices_. "Did you get the copies of the injunctions the Kanes filed?"

"They're not online. Someone and by someone I mean you, needs to go to the L.A, County Courthouse and see the clerk."

_A trip to Los Angeles for court records?_  Veronica shook her head, "I'll call David and ask him to get them."  _And see if he can represent Trina too, just in case._  "I need you to locate a Perry McDermott for me. It seems he was stalking Julie Hanson and I want to pay him a visit." Logan frowned at her and she ignored him. "Are you still working on the DMV photos and background checks of the cast and crew?"

"Halfway through, why?"

"Because there are more names to add to your list. Conner mentioned people quitting and getting fired; call Trina and find out who and why."

"And what are you going to be doing?"

"Me? I'm going back to high school." She told Mac she would check in later and ended the call. Neptune High wasn't a far drive and there was plenty of time to find out what Julie was doing at the school. She called Wallace and got his voicemail. "Hey Papa Bear, want to meet me at the lunch tables? I hear there's this cute 09er girl who wants to ask you to the big dance. Fifteen minutes?" She tossed her phone in her purse and climbed into the car.

Logan was smiling, "Papa Bear?"

"Don't ask." She took the 5 north and got off at Mission Avenue. Here finally was a parking lot where the BMW blended right in alongside its buddies Mr. Mercedes and Miss Jaguar. When she got out of the car, Logan didn't budge. "Aren't you coming in?"

"Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars, together again in the halls of Neptune High; I think that's the first sign of the apocalypse."

"Come on it will be just like old times. You can write nasty things on my locker and I can get you suspended."

"All great love stories should have such auspicious beginnings." He joined her outside the car and took her hand.

"Holding hands are we? Want to carry my books too?"  _Walking down the halls of Neptune High School with Logan Echolls; no this isn't surreal at all_.

"Not that I'm complaining about our little trip down memory lane, but what are you hoping to find?"

"Julie was hanging out with the Pep Squad and they go to basketball games and it just so happens I have an in with their coach." A basketball coach who did not look very happy when he joined them at the lunch tables; "horse walks into a bar, bartender says, hey why the long face."

"I know when you start speaking high school to me I'm in trouble."

Veronica's mouth dropped open, "you're in trouble? Do you need me to go to the clinic with you? Help you tell your mom?"

Wallace smiled, "getting knocked up is your thing V."

"That happened one time," she held up her index finger for emphasis. "You have  _got_  to learn how to let go of stuff."

"Ah, at the risk of repeating myself, that's your thing too." He turned to Logan, "how's it going with your sister?"

Logan shrugged, "you know, the usual, she's being Trina and I'm wishing I was an only child."

"You've been withholding all the good gossip from your BFF, Papa Bear." Wallace looked around the tables to make sure no one heard her call him that and Veronica grinned.

"I don't think so. I told you about the new lunch lady and taco Tuesdays."

"But you forgot to mention Julie Hanson hanging around our hallowed halls."

"She was here doing research for a role; I didn't realize it was for a role in Trina's movie until I read The Register yesterday." He took a deep breath, glanced at Logan and then back to her. "So a movie about Lilly, how do you feel about that?"

"It's complicated." Logan snickered at her understatement. "Was she pretending to be a student?"

Wallace shook his head, "she tried, but Van Clemmons vetoed the idea. He let her sit in on a few classes and attend Pep Squad practices, but nothing else."

"Maybe I could talk to the girls on the squad? I don't suppose…"

"No can do V, I like my job." At her disappointment, he grinned. "But they do have a website; it has rosters for both the varsity and JV squads, pirate pep dot com."

A sarcastic, "ahoy," from Logan punctuated the news about the website. He abruptly stood, "I'm going to take a walk. I'll meet you at the car."

Both Wallace and Veronica watched him walk away. "How's he doing?" Wallace turned back to her, "how are  _you_  doing?"

"We're our usual selves; avoid conversation, insert funny quip, sprinkle in the sarcasm and add a dash of fighting."

"Just a dash? That sounds like progress."

Veronica smiled, "we're trying these new things called honesty and trust, maybe you've heard of them?"

"Vaguely familiar. Is Trina really making a movie about Lilly?"

"No. Originally it  _was_  about Lilly, but it left the ending open. It showed how all the suspects  _might've_  done it and let the audience decide which one they liked best. One of the scenarios of course being Logan." Wallace winced. "Trina bought the script to keep that from happening and did some major rewrites."

"Then why was Julie here?"

"Apparently it didn't matter if there was a name change,  _she_  was playing Lilly Kane. Did you meet her?"

"Once, she talked to all the coaches and a few of the teachers. Mostly she was interested in finding people who were here in 2003. When I told her I didn't move here until a year later that was the end of our face time. I'm sorry I didn't put it together."

"Why would you." Not everyone held on to that date like she did. "Who  _is_  still around from back then?"

"Van Clemmons, of course, plus Becky and Martin; I think that's it."

Becky was probably Rebecca James, although she might not be  _Miss_  James anymore. It was weird to hear him call them by their first names. Too easy to forget they were colleagues now. "Martin?"

Wallace grinned, "Mr. Wu to you."

"Can you do me a favor and ask them to call me? I should go find Logan. We have a meeting with Clarence Wiedman." At his look of dismay, she explained. "He's got his own security company now. They were responsible for guarding the set."

"Yeah well, good luck with that."

When she stood she saw Logan standing across the quad in front of the memorial fountain. She gave Wallace a distracted wave goodbye and headed for Logan. "This isn't the car."

"No it's not, but I knew you'd find me." He moved to stand behind her, draped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. "Do you ever think about what she'd be like now? What she'd be doing?"

"Sometimes, but I always picture her as the same Lilly; adventurous and a little wild, maybe famous, traveling the world with different lovers in every port." A soft, sad smile flitted across her lips, "still beautiful and way too much charm for her own good."

"That sounds like her." He kissed the top of her head, "I'm tired Veronica. I've had enough of teenage Logan and the past for today. After our meeting can we do something normal and grownup?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know. Let's take our daughter to the park, go for a drive along the coast and watch the sunset, have dinner somewhere we've never been before." He buried his face in her neck.

"Will you push me on the swings?"

A soft chuckle, "yes."

"You've got yourself a date." She stepped out of his arms and took his hand, "let's get this over with so we can go home and get our daughter." Veronica paused for one last look at the fountain and then started toward the parking lot.

They got back on the 5 headed south. Traffic was moving well and they were making good time. Logan knew who Clarence Wiedman was because he grew up around the Kanes, but he didn't know  _her_  history with him; a quick glance at his profile and eyes back to the road. He knew about Clarence's involvement in tampering with Lilly's crime scene and time of death, but nothing else. He certainly didn't know about Amelia and the ice chest or how she found the person responsible for the not-sex-sex-tape and she never divulged It could be the nine years of radio silence that followed, but it might be more about her secrets and how she liked to hold on to them. Even if she'd stayed in Neptune, she could honestly say she would never have told him about the Castle.

Another sidelong look at Logan. For as many questions as she peppered him with, Logan rarely, if ever, pushed her to share. When she found out the details of her rape at Shelly's party all he said was,  _you don't have to tell me anything. I'm just here for whatever you need_ , and that continued to be his standard operating procedure. He gave her control. When it came to the intimate parts of her, whether it was her thoughts or her body, he let her take the lead. The other night when she said she put Wallace in a dangerous situation and cost her father the election, he didn't ask a single question.  _She_  would've pounced on those two things and asked questions until she wrung every detail from him.

"Clarence Wiedman doesn't like me."  _And the award for understatement of the year goes to… Veronica Mars_.

There was no joke or snappy comeback, he just said, "okay."

"Don't you want to know why? Like maybe a simple, hey Veronica what did you do? Does he have a reason not to like you? Did you have a fight? Was he mad you exposed his part in the cover-up of Lilly's death? Not one question?"

He sighed, "why do I feel like this is about more than Clarence Wiedman?"

She snagged her bottom lip between her teeth and chewed. "Because I'm being a bitch and what I should've said was, it's okay. You can ask me questions, pry a little, make me," she gave him an exaggerated comical shudder, " _share_."

"Good to know." He paused a beat, "hey Veronica what did you do?"

"I pissed Jake Kane off…a lot."

"Hmm, I can't even imagine it- you making someone angry and driving them crazy. Give me a minute while I try to wrap my head around this impossibility."

Porcellian Security's offices weren't far from Kane Software; a mere freeway exit separated the two. She turned into the drive and paused to stare at the building. It was a three-story architectural marvel of steel and glass. A large courtyard replete with fountain, towering palm trees and benches softened the hard lines of the modern building. There was no parking lot in front to mar the landscaping. Discreet signs directed her toward the rear of the building and she followed them to a spot.

Clarence kept them waiting in his well-appointed reception area. It was a cheap power play and she was surprised, the tactic seemed beneath him and it wasn't successful. Veronica drank his rich, imported coffee and perused the original artwork hanging on his walls. "Our walls are too bare."

Logan frowned at her, "if that's some kind of secret code, I don't get it."

"In our house. You know that place where we live." They'd furnished the necessary rooms and there was some personal stuff, mostly hers, but there was still empty space. They needed to make it theirs; make it home.

"Well, now that you mention it…"

"Mr. Wiedman will see you now." It would serve him right if she lingered and finished her conversation, but the receptionist was already moving down the hall with Logan in tow. She caught up to them.

Wiedman's corner office was a thing of beauty. Two walls of windows specially tinted to avoid glare, allowed the natural light to warm the honeyed hardwood floor. Brown leather, club chairs sat on an Oushak wool rug hand-knotted in an intricate ivory and taupe design and they faced an imposing desk made of polished stainless steel. Clarence didn't rise from his place behind the desk and he didn't give any indication that they should sit. He just waited.

Veronica took one of the club chairs and Logan took the other. There was a soft click as the receptionist departed and shut the door. "Veronica Mars." He studied her for a long minute.  _If you're trying to make me uncomfortable, it won't work Clarence._  "I heard you were back in Neptune, but I couldn't quite believe it. You thought nine years was long enough?"

Veronica felt rather than saw Logan turn to look at her. "I couldn't stay away from you another minute Clarence, I missed you terribly."

"I see nine years of solitude didn't change your attitude."

"Nice rhyme. Thinking about rapper as your next career choice?"

"What brings you here Veronica?"

"Other than my overwhelming need to see you? I'm investigating Julie Hanson's murder."

"Of course you are." His gaze moved to Logan, "and your lapdog is here to protect you?" He didn't move or say a word, but the change in Logan was instantaneous. The minute the word 'protect' left Clarence's mouth, Logan went rigid, his body on full alert. If Wiedman so much as breathed in her general direction the desk wouldn't offer him much protection.

"From you? I think we both know I don't have to worry about you." They let the words hang in the air between them.

"I'm not going to help you."

"Sure you are." She made a show of looking around his office. "Nice digs, your severance package must have been fantastic. Does Jake know you're providing security for a movie he wants to shut down?"

"I don't work for Jake Kane anymore."

"But you do work for Trina Echolls; she's the client, right?" A ghost of a smile toyed with the corners of his mouth when she said Echolls, smug almost.  _Interesting_. "Thing is Clarence, since she's the one who hired me to investigate, you're going to have to answer my questions."

"I'll answer  _her_  questions, but not yours."

"Hiding something? Afraid I might expose some secrets?" The threat wasn't meant to be subtle, but there was no reaction from the man across the desk. There was however a long stare from the man next to her.  _Why did I think it was a good idea to give Logan an open invitation to pry right before this meeting?_ The gaze Clarence bestowed on her was calculating. He was working through all the angles; he just needed a push in the right direction. "You were providing personal security for Julie Hanson too, not just for the production company."

Logan picked up on her intent and helped bring the threat home, "that's going to be bad for business when the press finds out," he bent his head in a slow, sad shake, "a dead client. A terrified and  _famous_  dead client complete with a stalker and restraining order; the papers are going to run that story for  _weeks_."

It wasn't quite a Mexican standoff, but it felt like one. The minutes ticked by; none of them backing off and Veronica wondered how long it would take. "It wasn't her stalker."

She managed to hide her victory smile, "how do you know?"

"We've had him under surveillance since his court appearance."

"No chance he spotted you, evaded the tail?"

Clarence smiled without an ounce of warmth, "you should know how good I am at following a person." Candid photos; her face surrounded by a reticle from a telescopic sight blurred into the image of Marjorie's face. Veronica could hear the shots and taste the blood. Her heart was beating too fast.

False bravado and a faked smirk, "isn't that a little beneath your pay-grade, keeping tabs on a stalker? Why don't you let me talk to the person actually doing the watching?"

He nodded, "I'll have him call your office."

"And I want to talk to the guard you had on the set." He inclined his head toward her in a show of acquiescence. "Are you working for any of the other cast members?"

"Chad Taylor."

"Does he have a stalker too?"

His lips thinned into a tight line. "He was Julie's boyfriend and McDermott wasn't happy with that turn of events. He received a fair share of letters and Internet posts threatening his life if he didn't end things with Julie."

_Chad Taylor was Julie's boyfriend? Did Julie know that?_  "What can you tell me about Chad?"

"He's a petulant, spoiled rich boy with a narcissistic personality disorder. He spends most of his time at a local Country Western bar drinking whiskey and trying to sleep with anything in a skirt."

"Which bar?"  _And what skirt am I going to wear?_

"Cahoots. It's a dance hall and saloon on Mission. From opening until closing you can find him at the bar downing Jack, if he's not in the bathroom trying to score." The inflection on the word score left it up to her to decide; drugs, women, or both.

"You've been so helpful Clarence. Let's do this again real soon."  _Not._


	13. CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE

By the time they stepped outside her hands were shaking. She'd faked her way through those last few minutes on sheer adrenaline and now she was coming down. The implied threat,  _you should know how good I am at following a person,_ didn't scare her, she wasn't afraid of Clarence Wiedman. The images were just a trigger like sudden loud noises. She clenched her hands at her sides and clamped her jaw shut.

Logan was ten paces ahead when he stopped because she wasn't at his side. He walked back; stepping close enough that their bodies were almost touching and she needed to tilt her head back to see his face. The love and concern darkening his warm brown eyes, made her feel safe. She pressed her palms against his chest and he covered her hands with his until the trembling in her fingers subsided. "Maybe you should drive home," she gave him a weak smile.

"In a minute." His knuckles caressed the curve of her cheek. His eyes flicked up to the building and back to her face, "what did I miss? Why this reaction?"

"When we were driving here I started thinking about how many things I keep to myself. I'm always pushing you to talk to me, but when it's my turn to share…I'm not so good at it." She rested her fingertips on the side of his face. "I want to explain this to you, really I do, but it's a long story and I want to go home."

He accepted her words with a solemn nod and slipped an arm around her waist. Keeping her pinned to his side, they walked to the car and he settled her into the passenger seat. Once he slid behind the wheel and started the car, he took her hand again. They were both quiet as they wound their way along the side roads. "So our walls are too bare, huh?"

Grateful for his willingness to let the subject drop, Veronica smiled. "They could use some color."

"I have my mother's paintings." She turned her head to stare at him. Feeling her eyes on him, he gave her a quick glance, "the ones that weren't in the house; she had them stored." He shrugged, "I've never had a place to put them before." It was jarring to realize he hadn't had a home since the age of seventeen.  _Not that he really had a home before that_. "Jewelry too. Not the everyday pieces, just the expensive stuff. She kept it in a safe deposit box."

The most expensive piece of jewelry she owned was the set of diamond earrings Logan just bought her for Mother's Day. She wanted to protest they were too much, but he prevented that argument by saying,  _they're Wyatt's birthstone_. Keeping expensive jewelry in a safe deposit box was beyond her realm of experience. "We should make arrangements to go pick up the paintings."

"If you don't like them, we don't have to use…"

She cut him off, "it's your home too Logan and they were your mother's." He lifted their joined hands to his mouth, kissed her fingers and then rested their hands on his thigh; his thumb gently rubbing along hers.

When they arrived home, Dad, Dottie, and Wyatt were all on the floor. Dottie was singing " _Itsy Bitsy Spider,_ " complete with the hand motions and Wyatt looked enthralled.  _Your Dad does too, Veronica_. "Mommy and Daddy are home!" Dottie took the baby's hands and gently clapped them together and Wyatt blew a spit bubble.

Keith smiled at his granddaughter and looked up at them. "I swear I heard her say grandpa today."

Dottie shook her head, "please just humor him."

"I always do." Veronica patted his head and knelt on the floor. She rubbed noses with the baby, "hey sweet pea, were you a good girl today?" Wyatt smiled.

Keith pointed at the baby, "and see right there that's your downfall Logan. That's the I've got Daddy wrapped around my little finger smile. Next thing will be the head tilt."

Logan groaned, "not the head tilt. I can't resist the head tilt."

Veronica laughed, "looks like  _somebody_  will be getting a pony." She frowned at Keith, "not that it worked for me."

"Maybe if you would've written that letter to Santa like I told you to…"

"Are you saying it was my fault?"

"If the Grinch costume fits…" he shrugged.

"Don't listen to him Wyatt; Mommy is not a Grinch." Veronica planted tiny kisses across the baby's face. She felt Keith staring at her. "Well I'm not." His only response was a grin.

Dottie stood and turned to Logan, "it's all packed and ready to go."

"Thanks." He gave her a hug, "and thanks for babysitting today."

"Anytime; she's an angel." Dottie smiled at Wyatt, "but you know what you can do for me? Tell Jake how great it is to be a dad and how much he'll love it and that it will be the best thing he ever does."

Logan grinned, "ah, the soft sell."

"I'm not getting any younger and grandbabies sound nice."

"Grandparents are supposed to be old." Both Keith and Dottie frowned at him. He rubbed the back of his neck, "uh. ...what, I mean is, you're too young to be a grandma."

Veronica shook her head, "nice save, Ace."

Keith held out a hand, "well do you want to help this old man up from the floor." Logan did as he asked. "Gee Dot maybe we still have time to catch the early bird special and a Matlock rerun before bedtime."

"I don't know," Dottie glanced at her watch, "they have bingo at the senior center tonight and I have to be well rested for my knitting circle tomorrow." She smiled at Keith, "and you know you can't drive after dark with those eyes."

He looked around the room, "now where did I leave my walker?"

"It's right next to my cane, dear."

Logan opened his mouth and Veronica clamped a hand over it, "don't make it worse."

He nodded, but as soon as she moved her hand, he said, "I was only going to ask if they needed help getting to the car."

"Don't let it be said that I didn't try to save you; now you're on your own." She kissed Dottie and her dad goodbye, "be gentle with him you two, he's fragile." Veronica carried Wyatt from the room as Keith mentioned a day looking at nursing homes and how Logan could chauffeur them around. She grinned. "Okay sweet pea, let's get you fed, changed and ready for date night."

When she was done getting Wyatt ready, there was still no sign of Logan. She stopped in the bedroom to grab a sweater and went in search of him. He wasn't in the kitchen or living room. "Uh-oh Wylie what did grandpa do to Daddy?" The backyard was empty. She wandered on to the front porch and found Logan in the swing. "You look like you're all in one piece."

"It was a close call, but I knocked over your Dad's walker and stole his glasses so he couldn't find me." He smiled, "ready to go?"

"I just have to pack a diaper bag."

"All done and in the car." She started to question him, but before she could say anything, he added, "yes in your car. Along with the carriage and I remembered extra diapers and a change of clothes, plus a sweater and blanket if it gets chilly."

Veronica gave him the baby and went back inside for her purse. She locked up the house and set the alarm while he put Wyatt in her car seat. "So where are we going? And what did Dottie pack for you?"

"It's a surprise and none of your business."

"Two things you should never say to Veronica; surprise and none of your business. It's like you don't know me at all." He just smirked.

One drive up the coast as promised. It would've been great in the convertible with the top down, but her Audi was nice too. Logan was determined to spend money on her and his arguments were flawless;  _the car's not for you; it's for Wyatt and it's a top safety pick_. She glanced in the backseat to check on the baby. He'd installed a headrest mirror so they'd be able to keep an eye on her in the rear-facing car seat. She was already asleep. "You're a great dad, Logan."

Her words did not produce the desired result. Instead a look of apprehension knotted his brow and twisted his mouth into a frown. "I love her Veronica. She's so small and innocent and perfect." He glanced over his shoulder at the baby. A soft smile teased the corners of his mouth at the sight of her reflection and then it slowly faded. "I want to keep her safe from everything and I don't understand how my…" He didn't need to finish the thought.

"Do you think I'm a bad mom?" She shifted in her seat to look at him. "Are you waiting for me to sink into the bottom of a bottle and stop paying attention? For me to walk away and abandon Wyatt?"  _Like our mother's abandoned us._

"You would never do that."

She countered with, "what makes you so sure?" This started as a way to make him see that they could be better parents than their examples, but now that she'd opened the Pandora's Box labeled Lianne, the words just tumbled out. "Remember how many times your mom had to drive me home because Lianne forgot me? Or the times she showed up at school in the middle of the afternoon drunk? Do you know I used my college money to pay for her rehab and she couldn't even finish the program?"

"You're not her. Isn't that what you keep telling me? We are not them."

"What if it's not alcohol?" It was the dark thought she'd been keeping at bay. "What if it's work? My cases, an investigation. What if I get so caught up in pursuing the truth, I neglect her? Or, worse, I put her in danger?"

"Knowing the dangers and admitting that we're afraid. Maybe that's enough. We know the things to look out for and to work on." He held out his hand for her and she laced her fingers through his. "You can always come see Dr. Feelgood with me."

Veronica smiled, "I'm sure your therapist just loves that nickname."

"He does. Who wouldn't want to live a Motley Crüe song? Me? I'd prefer Girls, Girls, Girls."

"I think you already lived that song… on replay."

"You're cute when you're jealous."

"That sounds like a replay too."

"When it stops being true, I'll stop using it."

He made the left on La Jolla Shores and another left on Avenida. When they reached Camino, he found parking. It was easy to guess their destination, when she saw the beach playground. She popped the car seat from its base while he got the carriage from the stuffed trunk. "Are we moving?"

"Yes, we're going to live out of your car until it's repossessed." He started unloading the various items he'd packed.

"Darling," she drawled the endearment in her best high-society, snooty voice, "please tell me you didn't do something as  _tacky_  as," she shuddered, " _financing_  my car. How will I ever show my face at the club again?"

Logan paused with his hand on the trunk, "wow, don't ever do that again. I just had intense flashbacks to dinner parties with the Kanes."

They found a spot at the edge of the park near the swings with a perfect view of the ocean. He spread a blanket on the sand and tacked the corners down with the picnic basket, cooler, and diaper bag. Veronica sprawled across the center and stretched out on her back. She tapped the picnic basket with her toes and lifted herself up on her elbows, "is this what Dottie packed?" He stood on the edge of the blanket staring down at her, his expression inscrutable. "What?"

"You're beautiful." All her clever wisecracks abandoned her. She held out her hand for him and he took it before dropping to his knees next to her. Once he got comfortable, she nestled herself between his legs and rested against his chest. He rubbed her shoulders. "Hungry?"

"Always." Dottie packed fried chicken, potato salad, thick slices of watermelon, cookies and bottles of iced tea. There was also a Tupperware container of assorted cheeses, crackers, and grapes. They ate in a comfortable silence while watching the water. "I still owe you an explanation."

"You don't owe me anything. Tell me, or don't, it's entirely up to you."

"You need to teach me that; the relaxed, I don't need to know thing you've got going on, because if it was me…"

"Don't change Veronica; you're perfect the way you are."

"Pushy and secretive and…

"..and good at avoiding unpleasant topics of conversation?" He started packing up the remains of their dinner. He shook the container of cookies at her and she snatched it from him. "And let's not forget your ability to eat more than…"

"Watch how you finish that sentence." He held up his hands in mock surrender and she smiled. It was easy being with Logan this time around. Even with their issues, she no longer felt like she was fighting  _against_  him, but with him; like they were finally on the same side and working toward building something. Something that was already pretty fantastic. "Lianne used to date Jake Kane, they were high school sweethearts, but their relationship didn't end with graduation."

Logan stopped packing. He tucked a blanket around a still sleeping Wyatt to counteract the gentle breeze blowing in from the water. Then he draped her sweater around her shoulders. No pressure, no questions, he was just letting her tell the story at her own pace. It was a very effective technique. He settled around her; chest pressed against her back, legs stretched alongside hers, hands resting on her shoulders.

"She didn't know if my dad  _was_  my dad or if Jake…that's why Duncan broke up with me…before Lilly died. Celeste told him I was his sister." His body went completely still. She could feel the tension emanating off of him in waves. He was angry and she wasn't sure why. "We weren't… _aren't_  siblings obviously."

"When did he know? Duncan. When did he know you weren't his sister?" It was a simple question, but there was something in the way he asked.

"I told him the night we found the tapes in Lilly's air vent."  _The night Aaron locked me in a refrigerator and tried to kill me. The night you almost committed suicide on the Coronado Bridge because I didn't believe in you._

"So  _after_  Shelly's party."

She nodded. She didn't want to talk about that party. Any conversation about that night would inevitably lead to Cassidy and a lot of unpleasant memories.  _Including why you let yourself pretend that what Duncan did was okay when it wasn't._  Her body tensed. "I know very  _Flowers in the Attic_ , right?" The joke came out strangled. Logan's hands lightly stroked up and down the sides of her arms; soothing, and she felt herself slowly relax. "Celeste had Clarence Wiedman follow me and take photos. I was framed in a gun sight. She used them to scare my mother into leaving."

"His  _you should know how good I am at following a person_  was a threat."

"Not a real one. He's not going to hurt me. It was just…the photos made me think of Parker and…" She shrugged, "overreaction much?"

"Veronica. You don't have to pretend with me. It's okay to be scared. It still scares me and I'm not the one who got shot."

She gave him a slight nod. She didn't want to talk about Parker anymore than she wanted to talk about Shelly's party. The sun was slipping closer to the water and dark orange bands spread across the horizon. "Okay enough past. We're letting all this romantic sunset couple time go to waste. Roll up your pants."

"Take off my pants? Now we're talking."

"I said  _romantic_  couple time."

He nipped her earlobe, "I can make it  _very_  romantic."

Leaning forward away from him, she removed her sneakers, peeled off her socks and rolled up the cuffs of her jeans, he followed suit. She kept a Moby Wrap in the side pocket of the carriage. Logan's fingers closed over the wrap and he took it from her. Watching him adjust it over his torso, cradle Wyatt against his chest and cocoon her in the folds of the wrap, defined romantic. Veronica grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the shore. When the icy water rolled over her feet, she let out a little squeal causing Logan to toss his head back and laugh. "You find that funny?"

She waded in deeper, pulling him with her until the waves splashed over his legs and he jumped back. "Watch the baby Veronica."

"Big man hiding behind a wee little baby;" she kicked water at him, "sissy." The evil gleam in his eyes told her she was in trouble. She danced further out of his reach. Bending down, she scooped water into her cupped hands and tossed it across his legs. "Come on Echolls; let's see what you've got."

He was fast. His arm shot out, snaked around her waist pulling her off her feet and against his side. "Feel like getting wet?"

"I'm already wet."

Logan emitted a low growl at the suggestive tone. He put her back on her feet and gently hip-checked her toward the water. Veronica felt herself falling and squeezed her eyes closed in preparation for the cold shock, but it never came. He grabbed her waist, preventing her icy plunge and steadied her. "Learned your lesson?"

"Maybe," she tilted her head and bit her bottom lip.

"God, I missed you." He cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb across her lip freeing it from her teeth. The kiss was barely a whisper, but she could feel it, all the longing and the hope from their years apart and it made her ache. They were so close she could feel when Wyatt started to wiggle.

Veronica grinned, "you're right, she does have bad timing." A tiny mewl sounded from inside the wrap. "I think she gets that from you."

He shook his head, "she's all you."

"Then you're in big trouble." She adjusted the wrap so she could free Wyatt.

"Don't I know it." The sun was completely gone and the inky sky was rapidly growing darker. "We should leave."

They returned to the blanket and Veronica sat down to feed the baby. Logan packed up around her. "Why don't you bring the stuff to the car?"

His eyes roamed over the deserted playground and the growing shadows, across the empty expanse of beach and finally came to rest on her and the baby. "I'll wait."

"Well, if you're going to stand guard, could you come a little bit closer?"

"Why, am I your kind of man?"

He sat behind her and she readjusted position so she could lean on him. "So big and so strong." He chuckled in her ear. "Thank you for tonight."

"It's not over yet."

She sighed, "no, but the fun part is; I've got work to do."

"Work? This sounds like an appropriate time to use another, things you should never say to Veronica, phrase, like no, absolutely not, I forbid…"

"Forbid?"

He ducked his head and pressed his lips to her throat, "it means refusal to allow," a nip on the sensitive spot above her collarbone and then gentle sucking.

Veronica swallowed, "allow?"

"Oh honey, did you not learn anything in those fancy schools of yours? Allow: give someone permission." Hands that were resting on her hips now slid over her thighs and between her legs.

"Per..mmm…ission?"

A throaty chuckle, "seriously Veronica," his tongue swept along the side of her neck, "I do not have the time or the inclination to give you vocabulary lessons. I lack the necessary qualifications." The timbre of his voice was low and husky, "now Sex Ed on the other hand, I could teach a master class." His fingers undid the snap of her jeans, "teach what you know."

Master class didn't come close, the man was truly gifted. "That's…it's… _write_  what you know."

"Okay," his fingers drew lazy patterns across the exposed skin of her belly, dipping lower with each stroke. Hands, mouth, and words played her body like a virtuoso. Fully clothed with him she was more turned on than completely naked with anyone else. Each touch and taste were perfect notes with just the right pressure to achieve an answering chord deep in the pit of her body.

"Lo- _gan_." It started out normal and ended on a soft groan as her zipper inched down. "What are you doing?"

"Hmm, writing all the very dirty things I want to do to you," his hand slipped beneath her jeans, "should I read out loud for the class?"

"I'm going to drop the baby."

"Big girl like you hiding behind a wee little baby," his fingertips skimmed over the silky material of her thong, "sissy." He withdrew his hand. The pads of his fingers burned a trail up her sides and he lifted the baby out of her arms. He stood and moved away. "It's dark." Her confused expression made him elaborate, "when I make love to you Veronica, I want to see you,  _all_  of you."

A shiver of anticipation shot down her spine and she was suddenly in a rush to get home. She fixed her clothes, folded the blanket and tucked it under her arm. "Chop, chop, let's go." Logan turned away to put the baby in her car seat, but not before Veronica caught the big grin on his face.  _Tricky bastard._  The skirt she was planning to wear tonight just got a little bit shorter.

She gave him a wide berth on their walk back to the car and hugged her door for the entire ride home. The instant they rolled to a stop, she was out of the car and collecting Wyatt. She was on the front porch before he reached the trunk and inside before he even started to unpack.  _He probably thinks I'm in a rush to get to the bedroom, sucker_. After putting Wyatt in her crib, she called Mac, grabbed the clothes she needed and locked herself in the bathroom to get ready.

Veronica fully expected him to be waiting on the bed, naked, when she finally reemerged, but their room was still vacant. The skirt wasn't working for her. She wiggled out of it and put on a pair of jean shorts. They were worn and comfortable and… _short_. Veronica surveyed her look in the full-length mirror. Fringe fell from the hem of her snug, black crop top and its ends stopped at her navel exposing a band of skin. When she moved the fringe tickled her midriff and revealed slivers of flesh. She tugged on the cowboy boots and went in search of Logan. "Too  _Coyote Ugly_?"

His mouth parted and he blinked. "Uh…" She added a little extra sway to her hips making the fringe dance along her stomach as she crossed the room. Logan's eyes darkened, "what was your question?"

She smiled, "you're so easy."

He swept her into his arms, carried her into the kitchen and sat her on the counter. "Up you go." Veronica frowned at him. "I want to get the full effect and this," he knocked on the soapstone, "is the closest we have to a bar top."

"Are you asking me to dance for you?"

"I would've been okay without the role playing, but since you're already in costume, I'm game. Am I the bartender you're trying to seduce or the customer who pays extra for a redheaded chaser?"

She playfully smacked his shoulder, "this isn't for you. Work, remember? I'm going to Cahoots to talk to Chad."

Logan covered her knees with his hands and slowly slid them up her thighs until his fingertips grazed the hem of her shorts. He stepped closer, nudging her knees apart with his hip. "Sure I can't change your mind?" He left off the word,  _again_. He lowered his mouth to the pulse point at the base of her neck and gently sucked.

Veronica threaded her fingers through his hair. Forgetting her intent to push him away, she pulled him closer. Her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth and she was having a hard time remembering words while his hands slid down her back and cupped her ass. "I…won't be gone long." There was no conviction in her tone. She tried again, "an hour, two at the most." Now his mouth was moving; a trail of warm, soft kisses up her throat. He was going to kiss her. If he did that, all plans of work would be lost. "Logan."  _That came out way too breathy_. She shook her head and gave him a soft push, "to be continued."

He sighed, "okay give me fifteen minutes to change."

"You have to stay home with Wyatt." His eyes fell to her lap and burned a path up her body.  _If I wasn't flushed before, I certainly am now_.  _How can he make me hotter with just a look?_  His fingers brushed at the fringe and his gaze narrowed at the amount of flesh each movement uncovered.

"We can drop her off at your Dad's house or…"

The doorbell rang and Veronica grinned. "See? You're easy. I knew you'd want to  _come_ …with me that is." She slid off the counter and down his body. "Go change while I let Mac in." He lightly swatted her ass as she sashayed from the room and she laughed. Veronica pulled open the front door, "you my friend have what is known as perfect timing."

"Is that sarcasm?" Mac took in her friend's disheveled appearance, "because it looks like I was interrupting something."

Veronica shook her head, "did you bring the list?"

Mac dug three folders out of her bag. She doled them out one at a time. "The good," file was labeled current cast and crew. "The bad," just the word  _quitters_  was written on the tab. "And the ugly," the last one read  _fired_.

A quick flip through "the good" file confirmed that a photo, most from DMV and some from other databases Mac probably shouldn't have accessed, accompanied each background check. "How would I ever survive without you?"

"You wouldn't."

"Thanks for babysitting again; I promise we'll come up with a better system." Logan chose that moment to join them, "what are you wearing?"

"You are off your game; these are what you would call  _clothes_."

Her eyes traveled from the toes of his brown cowboy boots up the lean legs encased in a pair of faded jeans, over the blue cotton tee hugging washboard abs and sculpted chest and finally to the top of his head. "You own a cowboy hat?"

"I reckon I do," he pushed the brim back with his finger, "and I can Texas two–step with the best of them."

"Shut up, no you can't."

"Yes ma'am," he drawled; a glint of humor in his eyes. "If I was fixin' to keep company with the fine fillies of the Lone Star State it required dancing." His Tim McGraw,  _real bad boy, real good man_ , impersonation was kind of sexy, but Veronica couldn't tell if he was serious or if he was resuming the role playing from the kitchen. "Eighteen months stationed in Texas meant line dancing." There was a war going on inside her. Part of her wanted to push Mac from the house and say screw work before screwing him and part of her really wanted to see him Texas two-step.

The battle must have shown on her face because he innocently batted his eyes at her and Mac groaned, "no, absolutely not. I drove all the way over here to babysit and you two are going out. I don't care where you go just make sure it's far enough away that I can't hear you."

Logan had the audacity to laugh. He took off his hat and used it to gesture toward the door, "after you." As she walked past him, he whispered to her, "think of it as foreplay."

_Crap, how am I ever going to concentrate on Chad if he plans on keeping me hot and bothered?_  "You suck."

"Yes, yes I do." He tossed his hat on the backseat of the convertible and climbed behind the wheel, "where to ma'am?"

"Eighteen months in Texas? And quit it with the ma'am if you ever want to see me naked again." She put the address into the GPS.

"I am naturally gifted at many things."  _Seriously could he read her mind?_  "But I did actually have to learn how to fly the planes."

Being with Logan was simultaneously familiar and comfortable yet also new and exciting. While she may regret their separation from the standpoint of missing him, it did allow them to mature enough to be together.  _It also gives me plenty of interesting new things to learn about him like line dancing._  "Going to save me a dance?"

"Always."


	14. CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The outside of the bar was covered in red barn wood and its front entrance was a set of swinging saloon doors. A large sign prominently displayed on the roof read Cahoots in script with the o's made to look like lassos; underneath was the slogan: two steps above the rest. Post and beam fence acted as railing for a porch that wrapped around to the side of the building. Country Western music was pouring from the bar and there were quite a few couples standing on the porch; some talking and some holding each other while swaying to the music.  _Maybe date night wasn't over after all_.

Logan plopped his hat back on his head and held out his arm for her. She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. "I think it's going to be easier for me to get information from Chad if you make yourself scarce."

His eyes swept over her outfit and he frowned. "Okay," he reluctantly dragged the word out, "we'll go our separate ways when we get inside, but…" He stared at the bar, "bottled drinks and you'll stay where I can see you?"

She wanted to protest.  _When I saw that tape I thought of Shelly Pomroy's party and Mercer_. Veronica took in his pained expression and the uneasiness in his eyes.  _It still scares me and I'm not the one who got shot._  She nodded, "bottled drinks and I won't leave the bar."

The bar was doing pretty good business for a weeknight. A large wood dance floor took up most of the space with both a stage and a jukebox to the right. The band was singing something about working all week and it being time for a good time while the people on the dance floor were stomping, kicking, twirling, and clapping. Veronica watched them for a minute, looked at Logan and shook her head.  _No way was he serious about being able to do this_. He caught her staring at him and grinned.

True to his word, he let her go. The actual bar was against the back wall and ran the entire length of the room. A Texas flag hung from the ceiling above and each barstool was covered in black and white cowhide. Chad was sitting on a prominent stool in the center of the bar surrounded by a few sycophants. Veronica skirted the edges of the dance floor and headed that way. She could feel Logan following her from a safe distance. This wasn't going to work. She turned on her heel and waited for him to catch up. "You can't watch me all night."

"But darlin' it's such a pretty view."

"I'm serious Logan, go dance and try to blend." Turning her back to him, she focused on Chad. If she pushed her way through the fawning females she would come off as too aggressive to attract a narcissist; she had to be shy and needy and present a challenge. From the way he was scanning the bar for new talent, it was easy to see he was already bored with the present company.

Once he was looking in her direction, Veronica let her steps falter, opened her eyes wide and let her mouth part in awe. She tilted her head and gave him a shy, coy smile. He smiled back.  _Step one complete._  She let herself stumble a little as if his attention had her flustered and then approached the bar keeping a few seats between them. She titled her head and let him catch the sidelong look in his direction. He smiled again and she bit her bottom lip. He was completely ignoring his companions now.

She made a meager, passive attempt to catch the bartender's attention and pouted when she was ignored. Doe-eyed and helpless, she turned to Chad and gave him another tentative smile. It was enough to get him out of his seat. He pressed in really close to her, invading her personal space and put his hand on the small of her back. "Can I buy you a drink?" She giggled. "I'll take that as a yes." He sat on the stool next to her with his legs open. His hand slid around her waist and he gave a gentle tug until she was standing between his knees.  _Please tell me Logan listened and he's not watching any of this_.

Veronica took a step back and Chad's hand grazed her ass. "You're Chad Taylor aren't you?" It sounded appropriately starstruck. She rested a hand on his arm, gave it a little push effectively removing his hand from her body and then pulled back like she may have offended him. "I'm sorry, it's just…"

"That's okay you can touch me anytime you like honey."  _Yuck_. He raised a hand to signal the bartender and then casually rested it on her back. In the two seconds it took the bartender to approach, his hand slipped lower and was once again resting on her backside.  _It's like an octopus mated with a snake and gave birth to Chad_. The bartender was waiting for her order.

Another giggle, "can I have something fruity with one of those little umbrellas?" She turned around to face the dance floor, dislodging Chad's hand and rested her elbows on the bar. The movement pushed her chest out and he obligingly stared at it. "Are you filming a movie here in Neptune?"

"Yeah," Chad's fingers toyed with the fringe near her belly button, "maybe if you're good, I'll let you come to the set."

Veronica could feel Logan watching her. She raised her eyes and met his gaze. He was leaning against one of the pillars that separated the bar from the dance floor and he was not happy. A quick glance at Chad confirmed that his attention was still on her body. She looked back at Logan, slightly shook her head and pointed toward the dance floor mouthing the word,  _go._

"Would you like that babe?" His hand flattened over her stomach.

Veronica was sure she wouldn't like anything Chad was suggesting. She backed up a few steps putting some much needed space between them. "Oh my God, you're working on that Lilly Kane movie! The one with the actress that got killed," her breathless awe routine was grating on her own nerves, "did you know her?"

Chad gave her an exaggerated eye roll, "we worked together."

"Oh," disappointment tinged the word and she looked away as if she was losing interest.

"Actually we  _more_  than worked together, if you catch my drift."

She leaned in close, "really? What was she like?"

"Hot, sexy," he leered, "great in bed." His gaze raked over her. It felt insulting like he was comparing the two women and trying to decide if Veronica would be able to compete with Julie between the sheets.

"Do they know who did it? Who killed her, I mean?"

He shook his head, "probably her stalker."

"She had a  _stalker_?"

"Crazy fuck; thought him and Julie were married and going produce crazy little offspring." He took a long swallow of his whiskey, "but I don't want to talk about work. Let's talk about us."

Veronica leaned against the bar. The band started to play a song she recognized.  _Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots_. Its popularity was enough to draw the people away from the bar leaving her alone with Chad. Her skin prickled. She scanned the room. Logan was on the floor dancing with two very pretty women on either side. They kept turning their heads to stare and smile at him, but he wasn't paying them any attention.  _Think I'll slip on down to the oasis. Oh, I've got friends in low places_. Veronica couldn't take her eyes off him: step, step, slide, boot kick, clap and turn. She blinked and her mouth dropped open.

Chad sensing her distraction and, not liking it, put his hand on her hip and turned her toward him. His free hand settled on her other hip, pinning her in place. She tried to back up, but he wouldn't let her go. "If you wanted to dance, all you had to do was ask." He stood stealing every ounce of space separating them. His fingers curled around her body and brushed the curve of her butt. Veronica squeezed her hand between them and pushed against his chest.

Suddenly Logan was there looming over the two of them. His mouth was set in a grim line and his jaw was clenched. He said something directly into Chad's ear. Veronica could see his mouth moving, but she couldn't hear him. Chad paled and released her immediately, his head bobbing up and down. Logan leaned between the two of them, his back to Chad. He pushed away her fruity umbrella drink, ordered an unopened bottle of Corona and popped its top against the edge of the bar before handing it to her. Then he backed up; smiled at her, shot another glare in Chad's direction, and returned to the dance floor.

This Chad was an entirely different creature. He kept enough distance between them for a herd of cattle to pass through and his eyes didn't stray away from her face. His hands remained in plain sight gripping the edges of his stool. "You were Julie's boyfriend?"

"I guess. We weren't exclusive."

"So you didn't care that she was sleeping with Conner and Frank?" The question obliterated whatever shreds of her ruse remained after Logan's impromptu visit. Chad frowned in confusion. "I'm investigating Julie's murder."

"This was all an act?" Veronica rolled her eyes. "How far would you have gone to get your information?" Now it was her turn to glare at him. "Hey, hey, just asking. No need to get upset." His eyes nervously darted toward the dance floor. "I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"Did you know she was sleeping with Conner and Frank?"

A shrug, "yeah, but that was just research."  _Research? Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?_ "For the role. They didn't mean anything. Julie got off on playing her character, know what I mean? Even when we weren't filming, she was Lilly Kane."

 _Disturbing thought_. "She didn't care that the role was changed? Trust me, Violet is not Lilly."

"You say that like you knew her." An appraising look, "you did didn't you? You knew Lilly Kane?"

She snapped her fingers, "keep up Chad, we're talking about Julie. Why was she so focused on Lilly when the role was completely different?"

"I dunno. She just kept going on about how this movie was going to make her career and all the roles she'd be offered after she won an Oscar." He shrugged, "clearly she was delusional. This movie sucks; no way she was going to win an  _Oscar_."

"Do you really think Perry McDermott killed her?"

"Maybe. The dude really is crazy. Julie starred on this soap on the BBC before she came here and her character got married, big wedding, spanned a coupla episodes. Anyway, Perry took screenshots of the thing and photoshopped himself into the pictures. Created a wacky wedding album. Dude really believes their married, calls himself Perry Hanson."

"He sent you death threats?"

Lots of nodding. "It totally could've been me, you know? In the pool? I came this close," he held up his thumb and index finger to demonstrate, "to biting it. Gives you a new perspective on life."

 _If drinking whiskey in a honky-tonk while manhandling women was his new perspective, I'd hate to see his old outlook_. "You hired Porcellian Security to protect you?"

"Julie's idea. That girl was full of ideas and  _plans_." He noticed her looking around the bar, trying to spot his security detail. "I fired them. Why waste the money? Now that Julie's toast," Veronica cringed, "Perry doesn't give a shit about me."

The band was calling it a night and she felt a stab of disappointment. She was looking forward to having a dance with Logan.  _Stupid Chad_. "What do you know about the pranks on the set?"

"Mostly stupid kid shit."

"Do you remember how it started?"

He thought about it for a minute. "The call times. The shooting schedules were wrong and nobody was where they were supposed to be. The location manager fired the set PA." At the mention of the personal assistant, his gaze narrowed. "Hey, aren't you?"

Veronica ignored him, "what happened next?"

"The spray painted Mercedes, itching powder, laxatives in the food." His fingers drummed against the bar, "the camera and generator?" He nodded, "then the film was stolen."

The jukebox was playing. Half the bar had cleared out with the disappearance of the band, but there were still people dancing and drinking. Logan was leaning against the now empty stage drinking a bottle of water. A cute brunette was standing in front of him. Her features were animated and she kept touching him while talking. First a quick brush of his shoulder and then a light touch of his arm. She tilted her head, swinging her ponytail and beamed at him. Veronica placed her as the girl dancing next to Logan earlier.

His body language said he wasn't interested. When she drew closer, he took a few sidesteps away from her. There were some distracted nods, but he wasn't focused on her, and he wasn't talking. Veronica turned back to Chad. "Can you think of anyone else who might've wanted Julie dead?"

"Trina. She was really pissed about the whole Conner thing. Guess she didn't understand Julie's process, huh?"

Veronica glanced back at Logan. Persistent Floozy took the bottle of water from his hand, sipped it and put it down on the stage. She grabbed his hand and tried tugging him toward the dance floor. Logan shook his head. Chad was watching her watch Logan with a vile smirk on his face. "Anyone else?"

"Uh, yeah, Lowell, Lowell Whitworth. Him and Julie had this big fight. I dunno maybe a day, two, before she died. I heard him screaming at her in her trailer; said she was fucking everything up. She told him to piss off. He called her a stupid cunt and she smacked him."

"Do you know what it was about?"

"No idea, but right before he left he told her to stop it or he would make sure she did." According to the chart Logan drew for her, Lowell Whitworth was the key grip; the person responsible for rigging the lights over the pool.

Logan. He'd managed to extricate himself from Persistent Floozy and was standing near the jukebox. Veronica slid off the barstool. Without bothering to say goodbye to Chad, she crossed the room. "Hey cowboy, care to dance?"

"Sorry I'm waiting for someone."

"If you dance like you look, I promise to let you take me home." The three men standing in earshot turned to gape at her. "I might even let you spank me." One of the three broke from the herd and took a step toward them, toward  _her_.

Logan blocked his path, "shit Veronica. Are you crazy?"

She pouted, "I just really want you to dance with me." She leaned over the jukebox, perusing the song selections and wiggled her ass at him.

A soft groan and a muttered, "fuck." Veronica grinned and punched in the numbers for  _Real Good Man_. He shook his head, "it's step, step back, step forward, turn clockwise." Veronica frowned at him. "Just follow my lead." Through the beginning of the song he went real slow demonstrating the steps. She tried to concentrate, but she was having too much fun just watching him. "You're not even paying attention."

"That's where you're wrong; I'm paying  _very_  close attention."  _I may be a real bad boy, but baby I'm a real good man_. He picked up the pace. She stopped watching their feet and concentrated on him.  _I might have a reckless streak at least a country-mile wide_. She grinned.  _If you're gonna run with me; it's gonna be a wild ride_. At the next line of the song, Veronica lost count and her steps faltered.  _When it comes to loving you, I've got velvet hands_.

Logan slid his hands over the curves of her hips. "Enough dancing?" She nodded. "Does this mean I get to take you home and spank you now?"

She snatched his hat and put it on her head, "I'll just follow your lead cowboy." Grabbing her hand, he turned on his heel and led her from the bar. "Now who's in a hurry?"

"If you keep it up, we're not going to make it back to the house."

"Beds are overrated." She patted the trunk of the BMW.

Seizing her hips, he hoisted her onto the trunk of the car and stood between her parted thighs. "Really want to give these people a show?"

"They might learn a thing or two." He lowered his mouth to hers. There was nothing tentative about the contact. It was urgent and demanding. Veronica's mouth parted under the onslaught. His tongue glided across her bottom lip and slid into her mouth. It teased and tasted the sensitive flesh, stroking against her teeth and tongue. Veronica groaned as he pressed deeper. Logan's hands moved up her spine pulling her tighter. Lightheaded from the lack of oxygen, she wrenched away from him and sucked air into her lungs. Her heart was pounding.

He recovered first. Stepping back, he helped her slide off the car and unlocked her door. "How did it go with  _Chad_?" His lips curled with disgust when he uttered the name.

"Better after your little conversation with him." She studied his profile, "what did you say to him anyway?"

Logan shrugged, "I told him if he put his hand on your ass again his next role would be as the one-armed man in a remake of the Fugitive."

Veronica smiled and shook her head. "He said Julie was fighting with the key grip, Lowell and he threatened her."

"And I suppose that means you're going to pay mister threatens women a visit. Is that before or after you see the crazy stalker?"

"That's the job."

A deep breath, "I love you Veronica."

"I know." He was never going to like it and she didn't expect him to, but they needed to reach the place where she could tell him what she was doing and he could not like it without fighting her on it.

At the stoplight, he leaned over the center console, hooked a finger under chin and turned her head toward him. "I hope Wyatt's sleeping when we get home."

"Me too." He brushed his fingers across her cheek and softly kissed her. When he pulled back she asked, "what was Persistent Floozy saying to you?"

He grinned, "persistent floozy?"

Veronica shrugged, "she obviously wasn't taking no for an answer hence the term persistent and she was a tramp also known as a floozy."

"She was a perfectly nice woman who was telling me about how many great people she meets at Cahoots and was asking me to dance."

"Perfectly nice huh? Then why didn't you dance with her?"

"She wasn't you." Logan placed his hand on her knee and lazily stroked his palm up her thigh. His fingers slipped between her legs and continued to stroke upwards. When they reached her jeans he stopped moving.

She shifted in her seat, trapping his hand between her legs. "This was a dangerous game for you to play." There was no starting at his knee and working her way up to it.  _Fortune favors the bold_. She slid her hand over the zipper of his jeans and cupped him in her hand. The car slightly swerved and he pulled his hand free to grip the wheel. She grinned. Applying just the right pressure, she stroked her hand against him. His breath hitched in his throat as she undid the snap and started to lower his zipper.

" _Ve-ron-i-ca_." Four syllables on a protracted groan.

Her fingers slipped inside his pants, "see, dangerous." He lifted his hips, pushing his foot harder against the accelerator. She used the movement to tug his pants and boxers lower, "well hello there." She stroked the length of him.

His hand encircled her wrist, "you have to stop." Another long stroke and a gentle squeeze. He swerved the car onto the side of the road and slammed it into park.

Veronica let go of him and leaned back in her seat with a satisfied smile, "problem?"

He scowled at her, fixed himself and his jeans. "You're killing me."

"Hmm, is that why they call it la petite mort, the little death?" His jaw ticked and she laughed. She glanced out the window, "looks like we're almost home. Think you can make it?"

"You think you're cute don't you?"

A one-shoulder shrug, "that's what you're always telling me."

They made it home in record time. Veronica scampered out of the car and raced on to the porch to wait for him. "Thank you for driving me home, I had a wonderful time." She was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I would invite you in, but I have to get up really early tomorrow." She thrust out her hand.

"A handshake?"

"I don't kiss on the first date."

"Really? You don't kiss, but you'll give me a handj…"

Veronica gasped, "how dare you insult my virtue." She batted her eyes at him. Logan put his hand on her back and jerked her off the porch into his arms. His mouth devoured hers. She dug her nails into his shoulders and pulled at the cotton tee dragging it up his back. He stumbled up the stairs with her and pushed her against the front door.

The front door swung open and they almost fell inside. They sprang apart and Mac shook her head, "forget your keys?"

"Something like that," Logan muttered as he slid his hand holding the keys into his pocket as his other hand rubbed the back of his neck.

"How was Wyatt?"

"Good. I just put her back down," Mac didn't even attempt to hide her grin, "so I guess you have a couple of hours before she wakes up again."

"Thanks for watching her."

"Anything to help out a friend in  _desperate_  need."

Veronica rolled her eyes, "desperate?"

"I call it like I see it." Mac eyed the sofa "too bad you guys don't have a guest bed yet. I suppose I could always sack out on the couch instead of making that long drive home." Logan and Veronica exchanged a look and Mac laughed, "just kidding." She grabbed her bag, "are you coming in to the office tomorrow?"

"Probably. I have some people to see in the morning, but then I'll come in to get what you have on Echo Films and the insurance."

Mac nodded and let herself out. The door was almost closed when she stuck her head back in and looked at Logan, "you might want to lock this behind me with those keys in your pocket."

Once she was gone, he did exactly that and set the alarm. When he turned back to Veronica there was a predatory gleam in his eyes. She started backing from the room and down the hall. He stalked after her. Cowboy hat tossed on the floor, a quick pause to toe off one boot and then the other. Veronica stopped moving and let him catch her. Their bodies were so close, but barely touching. "Now where were we?"

She pulled his mouth down to hers. This time he let her be the aggressor and control the tempo of their kiss. She explored the inner recesses of his mouth with long languid strokes.

Logan's hands were splayed across her back pulling her closer, molding her body flush against him. His knee slipped between her thighs as his hands stroked down her spine and cupped her ass. He lifted her from the floor and Veronica twined her legs around his waist, her hips rotating against him. Burying a hand in her hair, he pulled her head back, exposing her neck. He sucked the base of her throat while his hand slid between them and freed the button of her jeans. The sound of the zipper was loud in the quiet hallway.

Logan pinned her to the wall and thrust against her. All day she'd been waiting for this. The teasing, the flirting, the endless foreplay she didn't think she could take anymore waiting. His fingers slipped beneath her crop top and pulled it up over her breasts. Veronica raised her arms allowing him to tug it over her head and toss it away. Nimble fingers unhooked her bra and peeled it from her skin. His thumbs stroked over her nipples and Veronica gasped. He pulled back. His hands slid down her sides and grabbed her hips pulling them away from him and dislodging her legs from around his waist. Veronica whimpered, "don't stop."

He slid his hands down her hips, beneath the denim, beneath the thong and roughly pushed them down her legs until he was on his knees in front of her. Veronica rested her hands on his shoulders as he tugged off one boot and then the other. He tossed them away and they landed on the carpet with a dull thud. Her shorts pooled around her ankles and she stepped out of them. Logan was staring at her. His eyes drinking her in and Veronica suddenly felt self conscious. Her body was different now, fuller. He was still fully clothed while she was naked and she felt exposed and vulnerable. His eyes continued roaming over her body devouring each curve and swell. She moved her hands to cover herself and Logan grabbed her wrists. "No, I want to look at you." He kissed her stomach and swirled his tongue around her belly button. He feathered kisses along her skin and she could feel her tummy quiver. "Beautiful."

Logan let go of her wrists and placed his hands on her thighs. He stroked down their length to her knees and nudged her legs apart. Veronica resisted the impulse to shy away. She pressed her palms flat against the wall behind her. Logan kissed the inside of one knee and trailed his tongue up her inner thigh. Instinctively she arched her back pushing her hips forward. Logan bent his head to her other knee and licked up the inside of that thigh. "Please."

"Please what Veronica? What do you want me to do?"

"Touch me." His hands stroked up her inner thighs back and forth until her legs started to tremble and she didn't think she would be able to stand much longer. He slid two fingers inside her and Veronica's knees buckled pushing them deeper. She banged her head back against the wall and groaned as his fingers stroked her. Logan withdrew his hand and stood. He scooped her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way down the hall.

It was dark in their room. Logan carefully placed her in the center of the bed before turning on the side lamp. Again her hands moved to cover herself and Logan frowned. "If you don't stop that, I'm going to tie them down."

"Well in case you haven't noticed, I'm the only one naked here."

"Is that a complaint?" She bit her lip and nodded. Logan whipped his tee shirt over his head and threw it across the room. He undid the snap of his jeans and jerked the zipper down. Hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his jeans, he pulled them down taking his boxers with them. He kicked them off, "satisfied?"

"Hardly." It was her turn to stare.  _God, he was magnificent_. Her eyes moved over every inch of him until it wasn't enough she wanted to touch him, taste him. She climbed off the bed and pressed her body against his. Her hands explored the hard planes of his chest and then her mouth followed the same trail, licking and tasting. She could feel the hard length of him pressing against her belly and she didn't want to wait, she wanted him inside her now. "Logan."

"Not yet." He took a step forward forcing her back and then another step until her legs bumped up against the mattress. He lowered her onto the bed and joined her. "We're going to take our time." His thumbs brushed over her nipples. Stroking back and forth until her back arched off the bed. He licked one peak and then the other. A gentle squeeze, his touch softer than usual, being careful with her, tender, almost reverent. Hot, wet kisses down her belly as he slid lower down the bed. His hands gripped her thighs and pushed her legs apart.

Veronica's skin was on fire. Every kiss, each stroke burned. His tongue slipped inside her and she moaned. He sucked at her and her hips lifted off the mattress. A gentle nip, suck, stroke; he alternated the pace torturously slow, then faster, slow and faster again. Veronica clenched the bedspread as he slipped one finger into her and started to pump. He added a second finger and crooked them forward, stroking against the sensitive flesh. The tension coiled deep in the pit of her belly. She was so close. He started tapping his fingers against that spot and Veronica bucked, her head thrashing from side to side. She shuddered around him and Logan slowed. He withdrew his fingers and sucked at her, his tongue flicking and twirling until Veronica could feel the tension begin to build again.

Her fingers clutched at his hair as he kissed his way back up her body. He positioned himself between her thighs and slowly entered her. His eyes watched her face as he moved deeper making sure that he wasn't hurting her. Veronica hissed and he paused. "Are you okay?" In response, she dug her heels into his ass and pulled him deeper. He shoved a pillow under her, tilting her upwards as he found his rhythm; deep, steady thrusts. She arched higher until he was hitting that tight bundle of nerves on each downward stroke. Logan grabbed her hips moving harder and faster waiting for her to get there. When her muscles started to clench around him and he felt the shudders run through her, his control slipped and he chased his own release with hard, jerking thrusts. He groaned and collapsed on top of her.

It took a while for their breathing to return to normal and her heart to stop racing. Logan rolled them on their sides and brushed the hair back from her face. Tiny kisses on her forehead and the tip of her nose. Veronica cupped his face and kissed him before starting to slide from the bed. His grip around her tightened, "where do you think you're going?"

"Bathroom."

A wicked grin, "but we're just getting started."


	15. CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Veronica rolled the small ball of dough through the cinnamon sugar mixture and put it on the cookie sheet. Wyatt was in the bouncer on the counter staring at her. " _I may drink too much and play too loud; hang out with a rough and rowdy crowd_." Veronica stopped singing and planted kisses on the baby's feet, "are you mommy's rough and rowdy crowd?" She rocked the bouncer.

"Why are you awake?" He was standing in the doorway clad only in his boxers. "Better question-  _how_  are you awake and singing," he arched an eyebrow, "and baking cookies?"

"Somebody," she pointed at Wyatt, "is cranky and has decided that mommies don't need to sleep, like ever."

He rubbed his head and yawned, "what time is it?"

"Seven." Logan's  _but we're just getting started_  was not an empty promise and they didn't get to sleep until very late last night. Veronica grinned. "You should go back to bed."

"How long have you been up?"

She shrugged, "a few hours."

He padded across the kitchen to stand behind her and draped an arm around her waist. No good morning kisses, but a loud yawn in her ear. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"With what? The stick of dynamite I keep in my pocket?"

"That's what that is? I thought you were just happy to see me." He kissed her shoulder, "what's with all the cookies? Planning to dress like a schoolgirl and peddle them door to door? You would totally put the Girl Scouts out of business."

Four dozen snickerdoodles were baked and cooling on the wire racks. Two additional dozens were in the oven and she was trying to finish another two in between rocking, cradling and singing to a very fussy baby. "You would be my biggest customer."

"Correction, I would be your  _only_  customer. No way could you get out of the house in that outfit." Logan lifted the baby out of her bouncer, "morning jellybean. Mommy says you're cranky, but you don't look cranky, to me you look perfect." She gurgled at him and smiled. He kissed the top of her head.

_Sure, four hours of whimpering and crying for me and nothing but smiles for Daddy_. Veronica resisted the urge to throw cookie dough at Logan's head. With commendable self control, she rolled the final bit of dough into a ball between the palms of her hand. The timer went off and she tugged on mitts to remove the trays from the oven; then put the last two batches in and reset the timer.

Logan brewed a cup of coffee and helped himself to a cookie while rocking Wyatt in the crook of his arm. "I know last night was amazing, but you didn't have to thank me with baked goods. The writhing and moaning were reward enough."

She bit back her smile, "they're not for you. I made them for Norris."

"Come again?"

"Maybe later, right now I've got things to do." She started hunting through the cabinets for a cookie tin. When that proved fruitless, she settled for a clear storage container. "These are an official bribe. I want a copy of the murder book  _and_  I want to see if I can get him to talk to Jake and Celeste." Veronica started filling the container with snickerdoodles. "It was either bake him cookies or offer him my body," she shrugged, "but if you'd rather keep the cookies…"

"I don't know Veronica," he frowned, "they  _are_  really good cookies."

Shaking her head, she loaded the dishwasher and wiped down the counters. "We'll see if you feel the same way when I'm leaving the house in my schoolgirl uniform."

"Never going to happen," Logan tossed over his shoulder as he left the kitchen with a now sleeping Wyatt.

When the timer went off, she removed the last batches of cookies and turned off the oven. She made herself a cup of decaf and headed for the dining room. The files Mac brought over last night were spread across the table. She'd sorted through them matching photos with her descriptions from the crime scene and managed to identify the forty people present when Julie was killed, but her suspect list was enormous.

Her eyes strayed to the picture of Savannah Miller. A heart-shaped face, plump lips, deep blue eyes and wavy honey colored hair;  _even in the crappy DMV photo, she's gorgeous_. Veronica flipped the picture over, realized she was being ridiculous and picked it up to read. Savannah's list of credits included the music video for Holding My Breath, a few recent movies and a television show on Nickelodeon. Her credit report was average, there were no outstanding warrants,  _too bad_ , and her primary residence was Los Angeles.

Logan came in with a fresh cup of coffee and stopped short when he saw what she was holding. His expression was wary as he tried to gauge her mood. She smiled, "Wyatt's still sleeping?"

"If the soft cries when I put her down are any indication, it won't be for long."

Veronica took her temperature earlier and she didn't have a fever. It was too early for teething. She was fed and changed and still cranky. The only thing that seemed to soothe or pacify her was attention. She suspected it was also too early for separation anxiety, but she'd been used to having mommy home with her all day, every day until the arrival of Trina and the change in her schedule was the only reason Veronica could come up with for the sudden moodiness. "Will you stay home with her today?"

He nodded and took the seat next to her, "what's all this?"

"Background checks Mac brought by last night."

"Anything interesting?" He started flipping through the reports in front of him.

Veronica put Savannah back in her designated spot on the table. "These are all the current cast and crew members. This side of the table are the forty who were on set the day Julie was killed. These two files," she handed them to him, "are the people who were either fired or quit." She frowned, "it's going to take me days to talk to everyone."

"Maybe you could narrow it down."

She smacked her forehead, "gee why didn't I think of that."

"Because you're not as smart as I am?" He grinned at her.

"Logan, please, let's not get carried away." She shook her head, "smarter than me. Where do you come up with these crazy ideas of yours?"

"Well here's a crazy idea for you, the theory is that the killer was also the one pulling the pranks right?" She nodded. "Then it stands to reason that they were on set when the pranks happened." He waved his arm at the table, "not all these people are required to be on the set at all times and for every scene."

"So we figure out when the pranks happened and then…"

"We match them to the shooting schedules and call times to determine who was on set and had access to whatever was tampered with thereby narrowing down your suspects." He looked very pleased with himself.

Veronica stood and put one knee on his chair. She rested her hands on his shoulders, placed her other knee on the chair and straddled his lap, "God you're hot when you play detective."

"Isn't that supposed to be my line? I'm…"

Whatever else he was going to say was lost against her lips. All of their kisses, a lifetime of kisses, existed in each one. She could taste the coconut of the coffee he was drinking along with the taste of memories. They'd shared so many kisses; passionate ones, angry almost violent ones, loving, sweet kisses, and sad ones filled with goodbyes and regret, but her favorite were these. They were new. These lingering tender kisses imbued with promises and commitment and her love for him. She pulled back, planted another quick kiss on his mouth and stood. "I'm going to finish packing up the cookies and get ready."

Before she could leave the room, Logan grabbed her hand. "I love you too Veronica."

She gave him a saucy grin, "okay, God, I just can't take the begging; I'll leave you some cookies." He wouldn't let go of her hand, but he did allow her to lead him into the kitchen. "Gratification, instant or delayed?"

Pulling her back hard against his chest, he splayed his hands across her belly and lowered his mouth to her neck, "definitely instant."

There was no controlling the soft moan that escaped her lips, "not me Logan, I meant for the cookies. Do you want to…"  _The man certainly had a talented mouth…and tongue…and fingers_. She pried his hands from her skin and took a giant step away from him, "down boy." His long suffering sigh and woebegone look made her grin. "Do you want to eat your cookies," he suggestively waggled his eyebrows at her, "oh forget it, you're impossible."

"Hmm, I seem to recall being pretty  _possible_  four separate times last night." He wiggled four fingers at her.

"No, it was three."

He grabbed her hips and tugged her back to him, "and there were eight…"

"Six," she blushed.

"Ah, yes, I remember it well."

"Okay Chevalier I'm going to get ready now before you break out into song." She handed him a container, "can you pack some cookies for Wallace? Oh and can you get my slim jim from the garage?" He arched an eyebrow at her, "I like to leave the cookies in his car as a surprise."

Logan shook his head, "why do I even bother to ask?"

The baby started crying in the middle of her shower. Shampoo in her hair and soap in her eyes, she blindly pushed back the shower curtain and listened. No other sounds except for Wyatt crying. "Logan?"  _Probably in the garage_. Her fingers found the towel rack. She wiped her face with it before wrapping the towel around her. "Coming baby." She stepped out of the bedroom as Logan turned the corner and started down the hall.

His steps slowed as he took in the view of her soapy and wet in a towel that Veronica felt sure was shrinking the longer he stared at it. Unadulterated lust darkened his eyes to the color of rusted umber. "Wyatt is crying," he mumbled the statement to himself, a reminder that he couldn't continue to stand there and gawk at her. He shook his head, averted his gaze and continued down the hall. She chuckled, took a step back and closed the bedroom door. It was a very heady, powerful feeling being able to elicit that response from him.

She finished her shower and got dressed. Two containers of cookies were waiting on the counter with her slim jim lying next to them. She put her purse on her shoulder, gathered up the cookies and went to say goodbye to Logan. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor with Wyatt in front of him and they were playing Pat-a-Cake. "Do you know her eyes glaze over when you mention cake? Just like her mommy. It must be sense memory from being in the womb."

Veronica kissed him, "you two have fun today."

"We will," he eyed the slim jim, "and you try not to get arrested for grand theft auto."

"I would actually have to  _drive_  the car for that charge, this is just auto burglary," she grinned. "Either way it's a wobbler and with my stellar record, there's no way they would believe I intended to steal a car."

"I'll have your bail money ready."

It didn't take long to drive to Neptune High and it took even less time for her to pop the lock on Wallace's car, disable the alarm and leave the cookies. She headed for the Sheriff's Department. Veronica called Norris on his cell phone, "quick I think there's a drug deal about to go down in your parking lot."

He chuckled, "should I bring backup?"

"No, I think you can handle it on your own."

A few minutes passed before she saw him exiting the building. His head moved back and forth, scanning the parking lot, until it came to rest on her and the BMW at the outer edge of the lot, tucked away from the windows and any prying eyes. Norris took his time walking over, "drug deal?"

She waved the container at him. "Sugar, my drug of choice."

"I'm almost afraid to ask what I have to do in exchange for these cookies."

"A little information, a few copies," she shrugged, "and maybe a conversation or two."

"Bribing people to talk to you? That's just sad."

"Not that I don't love your company, but the conversation I had in mind was between you and Jake and Celeste Kane."

"Coffee to go with these cookies?" She got out of the car and they headed toward the beach and a Perky Beans coffee truck. They ordered their coffees; Veronica's treat, and then settled on a bench. "We've already talked to the Kanes. They both came down to the station, separately, to give statements."

"You found the injunctions they filed to stop the movie."

"You're not the only one who can follow clues."

She smiled, "when you're ready to run for Sheriff you totally have my vote."

"Two votes, I'll start planning my acceptance speech." He sipped his coffee. Defeat making his shoulders slump.  _It must be hard to be an honest cop in a nest of vipers_. "Celeste didn't seem to care about the movie. I think she filed the injunction just so she wouldn't be outdone by Jake."

_That must have been a friendly divorce_. Veronica briefly wondered how many times the name Lianne Mars came up in the proceedings. "And Jake?"

Norris frowned, "he hit all the right buttons. Sad that Hollywood was exploiting his daughter's life, outrage that anyone could think either he or Duncan could kill Lilly, bitter that people wouldn't let the story go and let her rest in peace."

_Flashback to 2003 and Jake certainly had no trouble believing his son was a killer_. "Do they know the movie is different now? It's not even called Blood Lilly anymore."

"They know." Norris laughed, "Jake seems to think that was all his doing. The ego on some people." He opened the container of cookies and put it on the bench between them. After taking a bite, he turned to her, "these are pretty good."

"Uh, I believe you meant to say they are the best snickerdoodles you have ever eaten." Veronica helped herself to one.

"What was I just saying about egos?" He finished his cookie and took another one, "by copies I assume you mean the case files?"

She nodded, "but I wouldn't mind a little sneak preview."

"The light, I think the guy called it a redhead," his exasperated look was probably the same one she wore when it came to the movie lingo, "was disconnected from the GFI and the amperage on the generator was cranked up too high. Plus the pool? It has a saltwater filtration system. Your gaffer explained to me that saltwater increases conductivity."

_Rich people. They spent all that money creating a saltwater swimming oasis surrounded by a sandy beach when they lived less than a mile away from an actual beach near an actual ocean_. Veronica shook her head. "The killer wasn't taking any chances that Julie would survive her swim."

"No. They were real thorough."

"How did they make sure it would fall into the water?"

"The way the clamp was adjusted wouldn't hold the light for long, an hour maybe two, and there were no safety cables on it. According to the assistant director, the scene they were shooting would take at least that long."

_There goes the idea that someone tampered with it overnight_. "What kind of experience would someone need to do all that?"

"I thought the same thing, but the electrician said it wasn't that complicated."  _It sounds complicated to me_. "He sort of rolled his eyes at me and said if you spend enough time on a movie set, you pick these things up. I'm not sure I believed him," he shrugged, "but he showed me wires and the dial on the generator and needless to say, I could probably electrocute someone with a movie light now."

"Remind me never to ask you over for a swim." Veronica took another cookie, "have you released the scene yet?" Norris shook his head. "I don't suppose when you give me copies of the murder book, you're the best by the way, that I can have one of those handy dandy crime scene seals?"

"You mean you don't have an entire box of them at home?"

"Alas I used to, but see there was this murder investigation last year where someone thought that little old me," she batted her eyes at him, "could be a killer and they were confiscated during a search. So  _really_  you would only be returning property to its rightful owner."

Norris tried to fight a smile and lost. "You really are something else." He resealed the cookies and tossed his empty cup in the trash, "I'll see what I can do." He stood and waited for her.

They walked back to the car together and he gave her a farewell salute. Veronica programmed the address for Perry McDermott into the GPS. According to the background check, there were multiple addresses associated with Perry including one off Hollywood Boulevard, but the closest location to Neptune was in Encanto. It was definitely far enough away to not violate his restraining order, but Veronica was playing the odds that if Julie was in Neptune, Perry wouldn't be too far away. She just hoped he was there and that it wasn't near Lincoln Park or she might be looking for an alternate way to get home.

She took the 5 into downtown San Diego and exited onto State Route 94 heading west. Taking the exit for Federal, she drove down 60th and made a left on Brooklyn. The unit was a flat, khaki rectangular box. It looked more like a storage unit than an apartment except it had windows. Veronica parked the car right in front of the door and planned on keeping an eye on it through those very same windows. A black steel security door prevented her from knocking so she rang the bell.

Perry McDermott looked like a younger Christian Bale;  _American Psycho anyone?_  He stared at her through the security bars without saying anything. The silent stare was giving her the creeps or maybe it was her instant recall of the  _plot_  of American Psycho. Other than his resemblance to Patrick Bateman, there was something familiar about him. "Perry…Hanson?" Using his "married" name made him smile and the creepy factor was dialed up a notch. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about Julie."

Suspicion narrowed his eyes, "are you a reporter?"

"No I'm a private detective," she held her license against the bars. "I'm investigating Julie's murder." She was hoping her license along with the words detective and investigate would lead him to believe she was armed and dangerous, but given his history with the law, she didn't want him to associate her with the police either. Veronica made a face, "if we're ever going to find out what happened to her we certainly can't sit around and wait for the police to figure it out." An emphasis on the  _we're_  and her derisive tone on the word  _police_  had Perry nodding his head.

He opened the door and invited her in.  _Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly_. The inside of his apartment was no better than the outside. It was dank and dirty. She resisted the impulse to check for blood stains in the grout of the tile floor. "Drink?"  _Mister loquacious he was not._

"No thank you." He wandered into the kitchen. Veronica kept one eye on him while she surveyed the room. It didn't take long. Two folding chairs and seedy couch were the only furnishings. There was no television, but she didn't need to guess what he did for entertainment, giant stacks of magazines lined the perimeter of the room. Julie Hanson's face smiled up from every cover she could see. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Do you want to see her room?"

"Sure." Silently she started compiling a list of things she would rather be doing than following Perry down the hall, but gave up after item ten and the realization that  _anything_  was preferable to this. He pushed open the door and waited for her to go ahead of him.  _Ruby Jetson could learn a thing or two from Perry about crazy ass murderer walls_. Veronica didn't think she'd seen anything this scary outside an episode of  _Criminal Minds_. She checked the door to make sure there were no locks.

There wasn't an inch of wall space not covered by a picture of Julie and they weren't pictures clipped from magazines or newspapers, no these were actual photos. Veronica swallowed and glanced back at Perry. Now she knew why he was familiar. He was the man with the long lens camera up in the tree outside the Kane mansion when she left the crime scene. Not a reporter, a stalker. He was smiling at his collection. "You're a really good photographer, these are great."

"They're in chronological order."  _Of course they are_. "These here are from when we first fell in love." He moved to the small section of wall to the left of the doorway and started to walk around the room pointing out the highlights of their relationship. "This was our first time at the Academy Awards; her father was nominated for an Editing Oscar. This was our trip to Paris. I'd never been there before, but Julie had."  _He followed her to France. Creepy was in the rearview mirror and they were entering Crazy Town_.

Veronica had no desire to take the scenic route. If that side of the room was the beginning, this side would be the end. She started to the right of the door with the photos he took at the crime scene. Skipping past the ones of the coroner loading Julie's body into the wagon, she moved to the ones right before the Sheriff arrived. There were no unrecognizable faces. Everyone in the photos matched the pictures currently spread across her dining room table.

There were pictures of Julie and Chad at Cahoots. Photos of Julie with Conner and Julie with Frank and then photos of Julie alone shopping, eating dinner, taking a bath. When she got to the pictures of Julie and Conner in a very intimate setting, Veronica recognized the bedroom. Perry was watching her; she could feel his eyes on the back of her neck. She shuffled over a few steps, "where were these taken?"

Her question prompted him to move closer and she gave herself a mental slap for the mistake. "Cast party." She knew this location too- the ballroom at The Neptune Grand.

Veronica stopped in front of a photo taken in the lobby of the hotel. The man was in profile, but it didn't matter. Even if she wasn't just in his office yesterday, she would recognize Clarence Wiedman. It wasn't unusual for them to be together, he was working for her. What was unusual was his grip on her arm and the very angry expression on Julie's face.  _You bad boy Clarence, you were keeping secrets_. "Do you know who this is?"

"He owns the security company Julie hired to protect her."  _From you_. "I don't like him."  _No surprise there_. "He upset Julie."

"Do you know why?"

He shook his head, "I was too far away to hear them." He stepped closer until his shoulder was brushing against hers.  _Time to go now Veronica_. "But I did hear him on the phone afterwards and he said it's done."


	16. CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Veronica acted like her rush to escape his apartment had nothing to do with him and everything to do with an urgent need to see Clarence Wiedman. Perry didn't require much convincing. He was too busy staring at his collection of pictures. She hustled from the room, down the hall and out the front door without pause. She aimlessly drove toward Neptune with no destination in mind. Her original plan was to go see Lowell Whitworth, but if she was going to ask him questions about rigging and redheads, it might be better to have Logan with her to translate.

They needed to talk about Wyatt. The ' _no field work deal'_  didn't mean no working at all and she couldn't bring the baby to the office every day, which meant daycare of some kind. Imposing on friends and family to watch her while Logan was on leave was different than full time child care. Veronica didn't want to send her to a daycare center. It was probably a perfectly fine decision for other mothers; the ones without the cynical outlook on life and the distrustful nature, but she knew they wouldn't take kindly to video cameras and listening devices planted around their facility. Not to mention the exhaustive background and criminal checks of all their employees. She wondered how Logan, raised by nannies and housekeepers, would feel about having one for his daughter.

The car coasted past the welcome to Neptune sign and she decided to go to the Suite Stay. It was equidistant between the 5 and the 805 freeways and, if memory served, not too far from a P.F. Changs. She decided to eat first and ask questions later. Not wanting to avoid any spontaneous make out sessions with Logan, she remembered to tell the waitress about his shellfish allergy and ordered the Mongolian beef and a side of Shanghai cucumbers.

She was tired. This was starting to feel like her default setting.  _Having a newborn at home can do that to you._  Maybe she would make it a short day and go home for a nap. The idea of crawling into bed in the middle of the afternoon sounded almost as decadent as last night with Logan.  _Decadent, but not nearly as much fun_.

She ate her lunch and thought about Perry McDermott. Clarence said he was being watched and that he didn't kill Julie. While it was possible he slipped the tail, he seemed too singularly focused on Julie to notice someone following him. He was definitely a love obsession stalker suffering from erotomania with a complete fantasized relationship. He may have moved on to the stage of feeling rejected and was on the brink of the violent and deadly aspect of his obsession, but Veronica didn't think so. He still seemed in the throes of believing Julie was in love with him too.

After paying the check, she walked the block to the Suite Stay. The square building had an all white concrete façade with rows of black tinted windows. One corner of the building was sliced off to create the front entrance. The architrave over the automatic sliding doors bore the name Suite Stay in brass letters. The lobby was enormous with its ceiling reaching to the actual roof of the hotel. Veronica took the elevator to the seventh floor.

The hallways of each floor were a concentric walkway overlooking the lobby. She followed the ring to room 706 and knocked. Savannah Miller was even better looking up close. Her wet hair was twisted into a loose chignon at the nape of her neck and she was wearing a short white terrycloth robe over a black bikini. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Veronica…" she resisted the impulse to say Echolls…"Mars."  _Gee, Veronica why don't you just go home and pee around him to mark your territory? A half hour in Perry's company and the crazy is rubbing off on you._ "Trina hired me to investigate Julie's death."

Savannah tugged at the edges of her robe. "I just came back from the pool," she offered as explanation for her appearance, "come in." She stepped back and Veronica took her up on the invitation. All the rooms were suites, thus the name of the hotel, and they were in the sitting area. A sofa, two club chairs and a coffee table were grouped together across from a television armoire. There was a small desk and an equally small kitchenette. The door to the bedroom was open and Veronica caught a glimpse of a king-sized bed. "I don't know if I'll be much help, but I'll try. What happened to Julie was just awful."

"What can you tell me about the sabotage?"

She moved toward the kitchenette. "Would you like some coffee? I could brew a pot."

"No thanks."

There was an awkward pause in the conversation. Savannah's gaze was both assessing and dismissive. "Just give me a minute." As she moved toward the bedroom, she shucked off her robe and tossed it over one of the club chairs. When she returned, she was wearing a white t-shirt and the outline of her black bathing suit was still visible through the flimsy cotton. She plopped down in the club chair with one leg crossed beneath her.

Veronica took the opposite char, "the pranks?"

Her nose wrinkled in distaste, "were irritating. When you show up on set at four a.m. to find out you weren't needed for another two hours and that happens multiple times, you start to get pissed. Everyone was walking around with a short fuse on their tempers."

Veronica offered her a sympathetic nod, "any thoughts on who was doing it?"

"Nan thought it was the set assistant, Sloan and when she fired her things seemed to settle down for a few days, but then it was like every day something new was happening."

"Nan?"

"Nancy Hill." She tapped her fingernail against her front teeth, "to be honest I thought it was Pete or Max. They both seemed to get such a kick out of them. Found them hilariously funny." She frowned, "funny if you were twelve maybe."

"Tell me about Julie."

She rolled her eyes, "she was a real bitch." Unapologetic in her assessment of Julie, Savannah suddenly seemed a little harder than her previous incarnation of sweetness and light. "There's this one scene in the movie, a flashback, where Violet is going to a party so I do her hair in this very complicated, let's call it a prom updo, takes me an hour and she doesn't say a word about it until right before they're about to shoot. Everyone's on set, maximum audience potential, and she throws this complete fit. She's pulling the pins out of her hair and throwing them at people complaining that it wasn't  _sexy_  enough for  _Lilly_."

"Speaking of being twelve, wow," Veronica shook her head. "Conner told me she was really into being Lilly Kane."

"He would know…they  _were_  sleeping together." She tapped her nail against her teeth again. Veronica recognized it as a subconscious quirk she did when thinking. "Julie was giving a better performance off-camera." A frown, "watching the dailies, you could see how stiff and uncomfortable she was as Violet, but she was a natural at playing Lilly in real life."

"Conner said she kept trying to get Trina to use parts of the original script."

"Well Conner's just a fount of information isn't he? Julie didn't want Trina to use  _parts_ ; she wanted her to film Blood Lilly. She carried that script with her everywhere; would make a big show of reading it whenever Trina was around, just to piss her off." She shrugged, "from what I read, it's definitely a better movie."

_You knew you couldn't avoid reading it forever, Veronica._  "Were you on set the day Julie died?" She knew she was. Savannah Miller was definitely one of the forty people present that day. The brief description she'd used to remember her was,  _hot blonde_.

She nodded, "I was with Nelida and Emily. We were talking about wardrobe for the next scene when the screaming started."

"You weren't in the yard?"

"No, the kitchen; Nan just came back with the breakfast orders and was double checking to make sure they got Chad's food right."

"Chad was Julie's boyfriend, right?"

Tick, tick, tick against the teeth. "I suppose you could call it dating in that they did other things together than have sex. I'm just not sure if it was because he was Chad or because he was supposed to be Lilly's boyfriend." A lazy swing of her leg, "you know what's funny, or maybe it's ironic?"  _Alanis, still confusing people over the use of that word_. "I dated the real life version of Lilly Kane's boyfriend. It was only for a short time," a sly smile, "but it was  _very_  memorable."

The phrasing,  _Lilly Kane's boyfriend_ , gave Veronica pause.  _That's now four people connected to the movie with either a direct or tangential connection to Lilly_. "Had you ever worked with Julie before?"

A look of disappointment washed over Savannah's face, but she made a fast recovery. "Once, we both worked on the movie Shell Game."

She stood, "I think that's it for now, thanks for your help."

"If you have more questions, feel free to stop by." Savannah walked her to the door, "it was nice meeting you Veronica." Once she was in the hall, she turned back to Savannah and was confronted with another sly smile. "Oh and tell Logan I said hi." The door swung closed.

Veronica contemplated the door for a minute, shook her head and headed to the elevator. Back in the lobby, she considered staying at the hotel to interview the rest of the crew. A quick call to Trina would get her everyone else's room number and she could spend the afternoon listening to the same rumors: Julie was a bitch who wanted to play Lilly on screen and was sleeping with everyone. It was becoming a worn out tune. What she needed was to start asking new questions.

She went to the expensive coffee shop, ordered Mac's favorite overpriced beverage of choice, and drove to the office. Veronica set it on her desk with a flourish, "ta-da."

Mac made a point of looking at her hands and then glancing at her purse, "where are  _my_  snickerdoodles?"

"At my house waiting for you to pick them up, perhaps tomorrow when you babysit?" She titled her head, "have I mentioned how great you look today? New top?"

"Flattery and coffee? I expected so much more from you."

She slumped into the chair and put her head down on the desk, "Me, Veronica Mars? Hackneyed and boring." She groaned, "the shame, it burns." She squeezed her eyes closed and sighed.  _This isn't bad; maybe I'll just nap here._

"Are you actually falling asleep?"

"No," she mumbled. Forcing herself upright, she eyed Mac's coffee, "since it wasn't successful, can I have it back?"

"I never said it didn't work just that I expected better." She poured half into the mug on her desk and gave the paper cup to Veronica. "What time do you want me?"

"Tennish? I need Logan to come translate for the crazy movie people… _and_ speaking of crazy," she filled her in on Perry McDermott.

"Are you going to tell Logan?"

"Right after my nap." Cradling the cup between her hands, she downed a copious amount, waiting for the caffeine boost. "Okay, tell me about Echo Films."

"It's in bad shape. Its list of debts is longer than your baby registry was. If you can owe money to it, Echo Films does. Trina started the company two years ago and used it to purchase the script. Blood Lilly is literally the only asset held by the corporation."

_Not good_. "Have any of the creditors filed claims?"

Mac shook her head, "not yet, but I would guess soon. Some of these debts are in the thousands of dollars range. The company is heavily leveraged."  _Looks like it's time to break out the law books for some light bedtime reading_.

"What about the insurance?" Veronica drained her cup.

"They have a general production insurance package, which includes the standards, liability, worker's comp, auto insurance, it's pretty comprehensive. The cast insurance however is where Trina skimped; she only covered the three major stars: Conner, Julie, and Chad."

"Ten million each?"

"Yes, but only Chad and Julie's policies list the beneficiary as Echo Films.  _Conner's_  policy pays out to a Ryan Hill. And before you ask, no I don't know who that is, but I'm working on it."

"You have a list of the debts?"

Mac passed her a file. "And this," she lifted a plain cardboard box from the corner of her desk, "was dropped off by Norris for you." The dimensions of the brown box were slightly bigger than a sheet of paper, but about four inches thick.

"Ah, so that's how you knew about the snickerdoodles, I thought Wallace ratted me out."

"Wallace got cookies too? I'm not feeling the love."

"Would I do that to you Q? I made you  _two_  dozen cookies, they only got one." She tossed her empty cup and picked up the packages. "Keep working on Ryan Hill and can you see if there are any investors in Porcellian Security? Specifically Jake Kane and or Kane Software."

Mac nodded and Veronica waved her goodbye.  _Please let Wyatt be sleeping_. Even if Logan was taking care of her, she didn't think she would be able to nap if the baby was up and crying. Every little sound that came through the baby monitor disturbed her sleep. Wyatt took an extra deep breath and it was enough for her eyes to pop open.  _Then again, I'm so tired pink elephants could parade through my bedroom and I wouldn't care._  She let herself into a very quiet house and found Logan in the dining room.

A six by four foot dry erase board was balanced on the serving buffet and covered in Logan's very neat handwriting. He was staring at the board, tapping the marker against his chin. "What's all this?"

He gave the board a distracted wave, "all the crime shows have one. I was feeling left out."

Veronica smiled. On the left hand side of the board, he'd listed all the pranks with the approximate date and time they occurred. Next to each incident were the names of every person on set. Twenty names were circled in red; the people who were on set for each prank. Down the right hand side of the board was the list of people there the day Julie was killed. Logan was comparing the twenty names to this list and putting green check marks next to the duplicates. "Very efficient, color me impressed."

He turned to her and his smile faded, "you look like you're about to fall down."

"I'm a little tired." Before he could argue the validity of her use of the word  _little_ , she asked, "where's Wyatt?"

"Laundry room." Veronica frowned at him. "She wouldn't sleep. Even the car ride to Staples didn't work."

"That still doesn't explain the laundry room."

"It worked." He shrugged, "I think it's the sound of the machines."

She was already halfway out of the room, "I'll just go check on her." She caught his  _I-think-the-overprotective-mom-is-cute_  grin, "what?"

His innocent look, "I didn't say anything."

"But you were thinking it." The darkened laundry room was toasty and quiet except for the constant whir of the dryer. The pack n' play was pushed tight against the face of the machines and the wash cycle was making the crib vibrate. Wyatt, in her  _I love Daddy_  onesie and pink socks, was sprawled on her back sound asleep and sucking her fist.  _I love your Daddy too sweet pea_. Veronica reset the door to its slightly ajar position and headed for the guest room.

The plan was to turn this room into her office, which for right now meant everything that didn't have a place in the house got dumped in here including her law school textbooks. She rummaged through the boxes until she found the thick tome on bankruptcy.  _If I wasn't tired before this would certainly put me to sleep_. She offered a silent apology to Professor Wingate for the thought and then reconsidered.  _He should offer me an apology for his long-winded, boring lectures_.

She padded across the hall and tossed the book on the bed. Stripping off her clothes, she donned a sleep shirt and went back to the dining room. "If you're here to invite me to join you, I don't think it's a good idea." His gaze traveled up her legs, "you need to sleep."

"How do you even survive for six months at sea?"

A slow smile, "with thoughts of you."

"Play your cards right and maybe tonight we'll add some new thoughts to your memory bank." Her fingers closed over the Blood Lilly script, "but for now I'm going to read and nap."

"I think you should skip the reading part and go straight to the napping," concern tinged his words.

She shook her head, "just wake me in time for dinner."

"Heaven forbid you miss a meal," he smirked.

Veronica started reading the script on her way down the hall. The story started  _in media res_  with Lilly's murder. From the scene description and action, the camera was focused on Lilly and the killer was off-screen. The next scene picked up the story one year later. She tossed the script on the bed and slid under the covers. Logan changed the sheets and the entire bed smelled like fresh air and sunshine.  _Continue with the script or bankruptcy law?_  Her eyes drifted closed.  _Straight to the napping it is._


	17. CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

_It's the middle of the day and she's standing on the edge of the Kane's swimming pool. Not the new free form lagoon; the old pool, the one with the right angles and the dead girl. Lilly's eyes open, 'high on life Veronica Mars?' It's not said with exuberance, it's an actual question, are you high? And suddenly she is. She can feel it, she's disoriented and hazy. She is wearing the white dress from Shelly's party._ "No, no, no,"it's a chant _. Lilly starts to fade as she says, 'wake up now Veronica because it only gets worse.'_

_She's lying on the lounge chair. Chinese lanterns and stars above her, but it's Aaron who comes for her. 'Where are the tapes Veronica?' His fist makes contact with her face, but she doesn't black out and she can feel him lifting her._ "Don't kill me, don't kill me." _It's the refrigerator. It looks too small, she'll never fit in there, she's going to suffocate. When he throws her inside, it's huge and cavernous and she is not alone. Cassidy, Duncan, and Mercer are in there with her. The lid closes and her body starts to tremble. She starts banging on the sides, but her hands are burning._ "Please…out…let me out…please."

_They take turns. First Cassidy, then Duncan, and finally Mercer._ "Hurting me." _Her body is thrashing and she can feel the tears cascading down her face._ "Stop…no." _She's whimpering as she tries to push them off, but they won't stop touching her. Her fists ball up and she is banging against the refrigerator, but her hands are on fire. She can see the flames consuming them._ "Help me, please, help…me." _Finally the lid is lifting and it's Parker. She will save her from Mercer like the last time. 'It's always you Veronica.' She has a gun._ "Noooo," it's a strangled cry _. Gunshots. The pain is eviscerating. Blood is everywhere. She can feel it seeping through her fingers and she's screaming._

"Veronica!"  _Gentle hands on her face, soothing_. "Veronica,"  _her name is a soft whisper against her temple. Logan. Instinctively she moves closer to him. Logan will save her, Logan always saves her. Logan will keep her safe_. "Veronica wake up."  _She can hear him calling to her, but he's so far away._

Her eyes snapped open and she bolted up from the mattress. It took her a minute to realize she was awake, but even then she couldn't stop shaking. "Water," her throat felt dry and the word was raspy. Logan didn't leave the bed, he continued to stroke her hair and rub her back. Veronica finally focused on his terrified face. She gave him a tremulous smile, but couldn't hold back the sudden onslaught of tears. He pulled her on his lap, enfolding her in his arms and murmuring soft words … _it's okay…you're safe…I love you_. It was soothing, the even cadence of his tone and the gentle rocking.

When her crying stopped, he stood with her and the sensation of being lifted had her clutching his arms. "It's okay Veronica."

She nodded against his chest. The nightmares were always unpredictable. She could go for long stretches without having one and usually they didn't feature the entire cast of people she rather forget. They used to make spending the night with someone difficult. It was easier to sneak out after they fell asleep because it allowed her to maintain her strong and fearless front. It kept her from having to be vulnerable with anyone.  _But this isn't just anyone Veronica, this is Logan_.

He sat her down on the edge of the tub and got her a glass of water. When her hand shook, his fingers closed over hers and held the glass to her mouth. "Did I wake up Wyatt?"

"No…I'm going to pick you up again and carry you back inside, okay?" He waited and when she didn't object he carried her back to the bedroom and sat her on the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She tugged on the edge of her shirt. It was wet and sticking to her skin. "They're usually not that bad." Her fingers continued to pluck at her shirt as she stared at her feet, toes curling and uncurling in the nap of the carpet. She heard the drawer open and close. Logan held a new sleep shirt in her line of vision. She laid it on the bed next to her, stripped off the old shirt and quickly tugged on the new one. Wrapping her arms around her body, she raised her head to look at him, eyes pleading with him to know what she wanted without her having to ask.

Picking her up, he settled them back on the bed; him resting against the headboard and her cradled in his lap. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "I was at Lilly's house and she was…maybe I shouldn't have tried reading that script before bed huh?"

"You don't have to tell me Veronica, but don't pretend it's nothing."

"I  _want_  to tell you." Her fingertip idly traced the lines in his palm. "I was wearing the white dress I wore to Shelly's party and Lilly told me to wake up, but I…then I was on the lounge chair." He tensed as if he was afraid to hear the next part. "Aaron locked me in…." Logan pulled her tighter and kissed the top of her head. "Cassidy, Duncan and Mercer were there."

"Duncan?"

She nodded, "they…first Cassidy and then Duncan…I couldn't stop them…my hands were on fire. When Mercer…Parker opened the lid and shot me." Relief washed over her. It felt so good to be able to tell someone. Even with the halting description and lack of details, Logan would be able to piece together her entire nightmare and just  _know_.

"Do I…" he hesitated and started over, "am I ever in them?"

Veronica vehemently shook her head, "how could you even ask that?"

"I just…"

"No." She smoothed her finger over his bottom lip and kissed him. "At the end of the dream," she frowned on the word, "I heard you calling me and I knew I was safe."

"You scared the shit out of me." He feathered soft kisses across her face. "I don't remember you having these before?"

"I don't usually have them when I'm with you." His eyes closed and he pressed their foreheads together. "They come and go and they're never all together like this one. Lately it's just been Parker and," she shrugged, "they were almost gone."

"I came in to wake you for dinner…you talk during them."

This was new information. The few times she'd had them around other people, no one mentioned her talking. She assumed it was some tossing and turning, maybe a little crying. If it was a particularly bad one, a scream or shout, that would wake her. "What did I say?"

"You were crying that they were hurting you, begging for them to stop and then you started pleading for help." He was ghostly pale and his eyes were haunted. His fingers traced the bones of her face. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't expect them to come back." Veronica moved off his lap and climbed out of bed. "I want to check on Wyatt and I believe someone mentioned food?"

He wasn't ready to let it go, "it took me a long time to wake you."

The nightmares felt like they were an endless stream of action, but she could be asleep for hours and only remember minutes of actual dream so either there were lulls between scenes where she slept or there were sequences lost to her when she woke. Watching that and listening to her must have been hellish for Logan. "I'm sorry."

"Veronica," he shook his head, " _I'm_  sorry. Sorry my sister came here with this," he waved toward the script now resting on his nightstand, "sorry I brought GHB to that party, sorry that my father tried… _fuck_." He was off the bed and out of the room before she could say anything. Logan tore through the house and out the front door. The slam of it behind him woke Wyatt.

Veronica was rooted to the spot. She wanted to chase him outside, but she needed to get the baby.  _He'll come back, go take care of Wyatt_. She pushed open the laundry room door and lifted the baby from the pack n' play. A little cooing and rocking and Wyatt's crying subsided. "I'll bet someone's hungry after her nap."

She changed and fed the baby. By the time she wandered into the kitchen, Logan was back and sitting at the table, elbows resting on its surface and his head cradled in his hands. "I'm sorry I walked out."

"Where did you go?" After putting Wyatt in her bouncer, she placed it on the table next to Logan, nudging his elbow with the seat.

He lifted his head, smiled at the baby and gently wiggled her tiny foot. "I got as far as the front porch and realized I didn't want to be anywhere that wasn't here."

Veronica caressed the back of his head, "we should've talked more. Back then I mean, maybe things would've turned out different."

"They could've turned out worse." He turned to her, "I'm happy where we are. Don't get me wrong, I missed you every day. It was there all the time, this constant buzz in my head, I miss Veronica, but we weren't right for each other then. We needed to get away from all that," he dragged his hand through his hair, " _history_. Come to terms with it? Make peace with it?"

"I love our history Logan." His incredulous look made her laugh. "We have seen each other at our worst and still love each other, how many people can say that? You  _know_  me, not just things about me, but what makes me Veronica."

"I love what makes you Veronica."

"Remember that when I tell you about my day," she gave him an impish smile, "but first we feast."

"So how crazy was he?" It was asked with a resigned sigh.

"See you  _do_  know me." She peeked in the pot on the stove, "smells good."

"It's chicken and sausage gumbo." Using his hip, he bumped her out of the way and started to reheat dinner. "There's rice in the cooker." He waved toward the stainless steel pot on the counter.

"When did we get a rice cooker?" He mumbled something that sounded like  _this morning_  and Veronica smiled,  _nesting_. "There's going to be nothing left for us to put on our wedding registry." A sidelong look cast in her direction, but he didn't comment, just continued stirring the gumbo. She took down bowls, ladled some rice into each and slid them down the counter for him to add the gumbo.

He carried them to the table while Veronica got soda, glasses and silverware. Logan let her eat a few bites before asking, "so  _honey_  how was your day?"

"Oh you know, met a crazy stalker, interviewed one of your exes," she tapped her nail against her teeth, "and found out your sister is in debt, you?"

"Laundry, dishes, shopping." He picked up his spoon and pushed the gumbo around, frowning at the bowl.

It was her nightmare, he was still thinking about it. She tried for a distraction, "have you narrowed down our suspect list?"

An absentminded nod, "the same twenty people were on set for each prank, but only ten were there the day Julie was killed, eleven if you count Julie."

"Thanks for doing that for me…was Lowell Whitworth one of the ten?" He gave her another distracted nod. "Mac is going to watch Wyatt tomorrow so you can come with me; we'll put Lowell at the top of our list."

Giving up on the pretense of eating, Logan dropped his spoon. "Why did you date him? Sleep with him?" The intensity of his stare was unsettling. Veronica broke eye contact and lowered her gaze to her lap. "Duncan."

"I know who you meant," it was a barely audible whisper. She hazarded a glance at his face. "I don't know if I can explain it to you."

"Try," the one word command sounded harsh and Veronica flinched. His voice softened, "he's in your nightmares. If you feel that way,  _felt_ that way, then why?"

"I wanted to be her again." Her eyes drifted to Wyatt in her pink pajamas dotted with fluffy white little lambs.  _Innocent and perfect_. "I lived through that year knowing I was raped and not knowing who. I had to sit in class and wonder if it was the guy next to me. Walk down the halls, sit at the lunch tables,  _every day_  and not know. When I found out it was Duncan, it was like I could make it not be true. I could be normal; a girl who lost her virginity to the boyfriend who loved her, the old Veronica, instead of the girl who was roofied and raped and called a slut."

She jumped out of the chair, grabbed her bowl and put it in the sink. Jerking on the faucet for the hot water, she stuck her hands under the stream, watching the water heat and her hands turn pink. Logan leaned over her, careful not to touch her, and turned off the water. He held out his hands and waited. Veronica slipped her hands in his and he cradled them between his palms. "I'm sorry. Sorry that it happened to you and that I pushed you to talk about it." He kissed her hands, "I had no right to question you about it, or about Duncan."

She buried her face in his chest and wound her arms around his waist. "Those few months of sleeping with him, I was tense and uncomfortable. My head could compartmentalize and pretend, but my body couldn't. I didn't know what was wrong. I thought it was me, that I was bad at it. It wasn't until you and I slept together that I understood what it was supposed to be like."

He loosely rested his hands on her hips and when she didn't move away let one hand massage up her spine in a relaxing circular pattern. Veronica squeezed him tighter and he buried his face in her hair. "I would give anything to be able to go back and make this not happen to you."

"I know."

"I love you Veronica." He pulled back to see her face, "if working for Trina is going to give you nightmares, I don't want you to do it." She stiffened. "Please just think about it, I don't want to see you like this."

"What about Trina?" She could see the unspoken,  _I don't want me and my fucked up family to hurt you anymore_ , in his eyes.

" _You_  are what matters to me." He shrugged, "I'll hire another investigator…I'll pay your dad to do it."

"I think," she backed up, "you should put our sleepy little girl to bed, while I clean the kitchen." Resignation settled itself over his features. Dropping his arms from her waist, he turned to get Wyatt. Veronica snagged her bottom lip between her teeth. There were too many things she wanted to say to him right now so she elected to say nothing. Cleaning the kitchen held little interest. Once he was gone with the baby, she made her way into the dining room.

There were green check marks next to ten names, eleven if you included Julie. Setting aside Julie and Trina, Veronica found the background checks for the remaining nine. The words on the page were a complete blur.

Things were good before Trina arrived. They were buying furniture and picking paint colors, decorating the nursery and still arguing between the names Wyatt and Charlotte. It was learning how to change diapers,  _Logan_ , and figuring out if the baby was getting enough milk,  _her_ , all while admiring the perfection that is their daughter. It certainly wasn't conversations about child abuse and rape and murder. Veronica resented the intrusion and at the same time welcomed it. If they continued on that path, tap dancing around issues and ignoring all the things responsible for their previous breakups and fights they would never be able to build a life and that's what she wanted even if it meant painful conversations about the past.

Water rushed into the kitchen sink and she could hear the clink of dishes being loaded into the dishwasher. It grew quiet, and then there was the gurgle and sputter of the coffee machine. Logan came in carrying two cups of coffee. "I knew I'd find you in here."

She took the offered coffee with a smile, "I was thinking."

"Should I alert the media?"

"When things get too…"  _bad, good, much_  "…I run. Even when I'm standing right here, I'm running and I don't want to do that anymore. I'm here in this with you and I'm not going to quit,"  _on either our relationship or this case_ , "okay?"

A slight frown marred his brow, but he nodded. "So tell me about Perry McDermott."

"He was  _very_  creepy, but I don't think he's our killer. He's got a room in his house…"

"You were in his  _house_?"

"Apartment actually," was her flippant response. Logan closed his eyes, took a deep breath and made a circular motion with his hand for her to continue. "He's got a room, he calls hers and it's covered floor to ceiling with photos, he's been following her for a long time."

"And you don't think he's the killer why?"

"He definitely has a delusional fixation, but he thinks they're in a relationship. I think he'd be more likely to hurt Chad. He probably thinks Chad was the reason him and Julie weren't together." Logan started shuffling through the papers in Trina's file folder. "There was a picture of Clarence Wiedman with Julie in the middle of an argument and Perry…what are you looking for?"

"You said Perry was more likely to kill Chad."

"I'm really gonna question your ability to help me if you can't remember simple facts,  _Julie_  is our victim."

"You're not cute when you're a smart ass."

"Are you sure? 'Cause I think I am."

A smile flitted across his lips, "they were supposed to shoot three pool scenes that morning; the fight between Aar…Conner and Trina, where Conner dives into the pool after, Violet's murder and the scene where Violet has sex with her boyfriend, Chad."

Veronica frowned, "but the clamp holding the light wouldn't have held past the murder scene."

"The murder scene that required  _both_  Chad and Julie to be in the pool and, according to the shooting schedule, they were supposed to film Conner's scene first."

"So what you're saying is the killer could've meant to kill any one of them, not necessarily Julie."

Logan put a finger on his nose and pointed to her just as the house phone started to ring. "I'll get it." Veronica picked up the nine background checks and dealt them across the table like a round of cards: Matt, Nancy, Sam, Kip, Lowell, Max, Alex, Emily, and Savannah, one of them with a motive to kill. The only question was who was their intended victim and, if it wasn't Julie, would they try again? When Logan returned, her question withered at the expression on his face. "Lamb arrested Trina."


	18. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

David Bartlitt agreed to meet Logan at the Sheriff's Department, but he didn't sound optimistic. Veronica spent the night on the couch waiting for him to come home while also avoiding the bed. When she woke, her face was plastered to the sofa and there was a line of drool down her chin.  _Sleeping Beauty, I'm not_.

She swung her legs off the couch and Logan tweaked her toes, "hey now watch where you step or you can forget about more kids."

Pulling her legs back, she tucked them under the blanket and peered over the edge of the cushion at Logan who was sprawled on his back with one arm folded behind his head and his eyes closed. She took in the sight of him naked except for a black pair of boxer briefs and a blanket pooled around his feet. "Why are you on the floor?"

One eye opened and he tilted his face toward her, "you were on the sofa."

Veronica rolled herself off the cushions and on to his body. He let out an exaggerated, "oomph," before enveloping her in his arms.

Propping her chin on his chest, she stared at his face, "are you gonna wake up and talk to me?"

"Five more minutes," he held up his hand, palm out, and wiggled his fingers at her.

"You used to want five more minutes of kissing me, now it's all about the sleep."

A ghost of a smile, "I can kiss you anytime I want, but I'm a growing boy and I need my rest."

She walked her fingers down his stomach, "growing huh?"

Logan lifted his head, pressing his chin to his chest to watch the progress of her fingers with interest. "Well don't stop there."

Snapping the waistband of his boxers, she sat up and clapped. "Good you're awake, now you can make me breakfast."

"I'll make you breakfast, but I get to eat first." He pulled her down and rolled their bodies trapping her between him and the floor before capturing her mouth in a weak-knees, toe-curling kiss. He palmed the back of her knee, lifting her leg over his waist and settled himself between her thighs.

"Mmm, you had me with you were on the sofa." She rolled her hips and tightened her leg around him. Logan groaned against her mouth as her hand slid its way beneath the cotton boxers. Ducking her head, she started to suck on his neck.

"Um, Veronica," his Adam's apple vibrated against her lips. "We have an audience."

She raised her eyes to his face and turned her head to follow his gaze. Wyatt's wide blue eyes were staring at them through the netting of her pack n' play. "Good morning sweet pea." The baby's lips parted forming a cute little pucker, which reminded Veronica of Logan and then she let out a soft sigh.

Momentarily resting his weight on her, Logan placed his hands on the floor next to her hips and pushed himself up. Veronica mimicked the baby's sigh, but hers was less contentment and more frustration at the loss of contact. "Pancakes?" Instead of answering his question, she got on her knees and reached for him. He evaded her, "okay cereal it is then."

Sitting back on her haunches, she rested her hands on her thighs and parted her knees. "Sure I can't tempt you in to returning to this nice comfy floor?" She started inching her sleep shirt up her body. "I'll make it worth your while." With each bit of skin she revealed, Logan's eyes grew darker. The shirt slipped over her head and she tossed it on the sofa just in time for Wyatt to start her pre-crying whimpers.

Logan smirked, "well someone wants to remain an only child."

He headed down the hall and she got the baby. After adjusting the pillows on the sofa, she settled down to nurse Wyatt and she was still eating by the time a freshly showered, shaved and dressed Logan returned to the living room. "I think she's having a growth spurt; it could explain…" She looked up and caught him watching them. His expressive eyes were brimming with a mix of tenderness and awe like it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.  _Six weeks, same reaction every time_. Veronica smiled. "…why she's been so cranky."

"Mommy needs to eat too," he leaned over and kissed her, "ready to take me up on my earlier offer of pancakes?"

"You mentioned pancakes? I don't recall pancakes, I must've been distracted."

"You certainly were something," he nipped her ear and kissed her neck. "I'd very much like a repeat performance of that  _show_  later; I need to see how it ends."

She gave him a bawdy wink, "don't worry I TiVo'd it." Logan chuckled on his way into the kitchen. When Wyatt was finally done eating, Veronica laid her on the couch long enough to pull her shirt back on and then went to join Logan in the kitchen. The batter was made and he was pouring it on a double-burner griddle that she was positive they didn't own yesterday.  _No wonder he wanted to make pancakes for breakfast_. "Are you going to court?"

He shook his head, "I'm going with you remember, Lowell Whitworth, top of our list." He watched the pancakes until their surface started to bubble and then flipped them over. "Bartlitt said she won't make bail because of the special circumstances. They'll transfer her to County this afternoon."

Veronica frowned. He was perfectly still. There was none of the fidgeting, fluttering or hand gestures that usually accompanied an agitated Logan. "David got me bail even with the special circumstances."  _Actually he got them dropped first and then he got me bail_. "Maybe Trina…"

"Big difference between two hundred and fifty grand when you have access to millions and ten million dollars when you're broke."

Veronica conceded the point, "but don't you want to be there for her?"

"The best thing I can do for my sister is help you." He transferred the pancakes to a plate, put them in the warming drawer and started another round. "Do you want bacon or sausage?" He smirked, "knowing your appetite, I should just make both."

"Hey, I resemble that remark." She cradled Wyatt with one arm and got both the bacon and sausage from the refrigerator. Logan snagged the box of sausages, shook out six, glanced at her, shook out another six, glanced at her again and then just dumped the entire box in the frying pan. "Very funny… _not_." He added the fresh pancakes to the plate then tossed the entire slab of bacon on the griddle. As it cooked he separated the slices. "You're very Martha Stewart this morning."

"We were cellmates. Later I can show you the right way to arrange flowers and decoupage the vase."

"Should I be worried you know the word decoupage?"

"My skills are limitless."

"So is your ego," was her parting shot on her way from the kitchen. She changed Wyatt and dressed her in a pale yellow romper with tiny bumble bees and matching socks. Veronica couldn't resist adding the flower cap with the bumble bee on top. "For picture purposes only, I promise." Carrying her out to the living room, she located her camera and propped Wyatt in the corner of the chair for some quick photos. "Logan? Can you come here for a minute?"

"You rang?"

"Please hold your daughter so I can get some pictures of her where she isn't frowning."

"Oh jellybean did mommy dress you funny." He was smiling as he picked her up and dutifully sat in the chair preening and posing with her for Veronica's improvised photo shoot.

"Quit it Cindy Crawford and just act natural."

"But I  _am_  naturally pretty, should I fake ugly?" She rolled her eyes and he grinned. Cradling Wyatt on his lap, he posed "normal" and let Veronica take her photos. "Okay, now it's Daddy's turn to wear the hat." Logan peeled off the cap and put it on his head like a beret. After patting the top to make sure the bumble bee was positioned correctly, he turned toward the camera, "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." As if she understood Daddy was being silly, Wyatt smiled. It was a perfect match to the one on Logan's face and Veronica held down the shutter capturing several shots in rapid succession. "Enough? Can we eat now?"

Veronica lowered the lens, "I am rumbly in my tumbly."

The tenor of his smile changed from playful to rakish and there was a devilish gleam in his eyes, "are you going to share your honey pot?"

She turned away so he wouldn't see her blush, but the laughter that followed her into the kitchen said she didn't move fast enough. The table was set for two; coffee and orange juice beside each plate. Logan put Wyatt in her bouncer on the floor near the table before serving the food. Veronica smothered her pancakes in butter and syrup and then covered her sausage with syrup too. "After we talk to Lowell, I think we should see Nancy, and then Max."

"Hmm, I was hoping we'd get to pay Clarence Wiedman another visit," he flexed his hands. "Didn't you say there was a picture of him with Julie on Perry's stalker shrine?" His mouth was set in a grim line and Veronica was sure Logan's desire to see Clarence had nothing to do with the photo and everything to do with his previous threat.

_Time to steer the conversation away from Clarence Wiedman._  "Nancy's name has come up a few times and Savannah thought Max was responsible for the pranks." She skewered one of her sausages and bit off the end. "Oh and Savannah wanted me to…wait let me get this right." Tilting her head, she parted her lips in a sexy pout and purred, "tell Logan I said hi."

He shifted in his seat, realigned the silverware and ducked his head.  _There's the agitated Logan I know and love_. She smiled.  _Not nice, Veronica_. "Uh, what about the other six?"

"Well I've already talked to Savannah, unless," she teased, "my impression wasn't good enough and you want to hear her hello in person."

A glance at her smiling face confirmed she wasn't mad and he visibly relaxed. "Could you do it one more time just so I can be sure?" Adopting the sexy pout, she stroked his arm and repeated her line. "Wait, there was touching involved too or are you ad-libbing?"

"No, that was me; I just wanted to touch you." As she started moving her hand away, he caught it, holding it in place. A frown settled between his brows and his eyes traveled over her face. "I'm not jealous Logan." She shrugged, "being jealous over your long list of women sounds like a full-time job."

Wariness crowded his eyes, "where are you going with this?"

"I'm just curious as to what your actual number is?"

He let go of her hand. "We've had a conversation like this before remember? It doesn't end well for me."

"You know about my five."

"But I didn't  _ask_ , you  _volunteered_  the information, see the difference?" She waited expectantly. "Isn't it enough to know you'll be the last?"

That made her smile. "Ballpark? Ten?"

"Ten? Was I having a bad week?"

He was going to try to tease his way out from under this conversation. She played along, "right. Ten was a regular Monday…before homeroom. Twenty?"

"Am I supposed to start shouting higher or lower like a contestant on a game show?"

Veronica tapped her chin, "is it possible you don't  _know_  how many?"

"I can count that high," he smirked. "Let's go with more than you, but not exactly Hugh Hefner."

"Aw, so no Playboy Bunnies then?"

"Well I didn't say  _that_." She frowned and he gave up the teasing. "It's called meaningless sex for a reason Veronica. Why does this even matter?" He fell silent and gave her an appraising look. She averted her eyes, but not before she saw the understanding in his. "For all the emotion involved with the others you could call it masturbating with a partner. What we have is so far removed from that. Our sex life is incredible,  _you're_  incredible."

She knew he was thinking about her confession last night; her fear that she was bad at it. That was definitely a conversation she did not want to repeat. "You're right, it's not important, we can…"

"No," he turned in his seat and then grabbed her chair, dragging it across the floor toward him until her knees bumped against his. " _This_  is important. You are beautiful and sexy and confident." He punctuated each word with kisses that grew progressively hotter and longer. "I need you to know what you do to me." He put her hand on his lap, "just from kissing you."

"Logan, I…"

He swallowed her words with another kiss as his hands blazed a path up her thighs, gripped her hips and pulled her onto his chair so she was straddling his waist. "You are great in bed. Responsive…" his mouth closed over the pulse point on her neck and sucked. "Uninhibited," his thumbs stroked her nipples and Veronica moaned, "vocal." Logan's mouth moved lower, closing over one breast and sucking it through the cotton of her tee shirt. "Enthusiastic, generous…  _saucy_ …" She rotated her hips against him increasing the friction between their bodies. He raised his head and held her chin between his thumb and forefinger so she couldn't look away. "You are the best sex I've ever had."

The sincerity in his voice and his eyes firmly pushed his numbers and her lingering insecurity from her mind. "I love you." A wide smile split his face. Picking her up, he returned her to her chair and turned it back toward the table. He pointed at her plate and she smiled, "don't worry I won't let it go to waste, I just need a minute to… _recover_."

"Only a minute? Maybe I didn't do it right." He reached for the leg of her chair and gave it a slight tug.

"Trust me; the pancakes aren't the best part of this breakfast." Her eyes strayed to Wyatt who was still wide awake and appeared to be intently watching them. Veronica sighed.

Reading her mind, Logan chuckled. "You know it's not only about the sex. I have just as much fun with you out of bed as I do in bed."

She gave him a playful pout, "just as much?"

"I love the entire package." His tone turned serious, "you are everything to me."

He was so good at that; saying the right thing, being romantic, and making her feel special. It was in everything he did, his love for her. Not just the teasing and the flirting or his lingering looks and need to touch her, but in all the every day moments. Making sure she was eating, saving the lasagna, hiding a piece of cake, planning picnics and spending the night on the floor just to be next to her. Veronica frowned. It took her over ten years to finally be able to say the words, I love you, and that was over the phone when she was afraid something might happen to him. He deserved more from her. "Logan, I…"  _You what Veronica, spit it out_. She blew out a sigh of frustration.

Lifting her hand from the table, he kissed it and then eyed her plate. He dragged her fingers through the syrupy remains, "what a messy eater you are." Raising her hand, he slid one finger at a time into his mouth, gently sucking and licking them until her nerve endings were tingling. "You should probably go shower now."

He gathered the empty plates and had the audacity to start whistling while he rinsed them. Veronica pulled her legs up, rested her chin on her knees and stared out the window at the yard. The inground pool was covered. Logan paid to have an automatic, retractable cover installed over it to prevent Wyatt from accidentally falling into the water. The only way to open the pool was with a key hung far out of reach; even Veronica needed a step stool to get it.  _Safety measures to prevent accidents_.

Norris said there were no safety cables on the lights. "Redheads are lights."

"Blondes too," Logan kissed the top of her head. "Are we playing state obvious facts, like I find you hot, or is there a point to your musings?"

"Just thinking about swimming pools and murder."

"You must have been a big hit at the law school mixers."

_Get a move on Mars_. She dropped her feet to the floor and stood, "I'm going to get ready. Mac should be here any minute." She rushed through her shower, put her wet hair into a French braid and tugged on a pair of black skinny jeans. Completing her outfit with a pair of black boots and a white v-necked cami, she grabbed her purse and returned to the kitchen. Mac was sitting at the table with Logan drinking coffee and eating a plate of pancakes. Wyatt was on his lap and he was feeding her a bottle. Veronica frowned and opened both the refrigerator and freezer to check the milk supply. Pumping and dumping was creating a milk shortage.  _No caffeine for me today_. She transferred milk from the freezer to the fridge.

"Good morning to you too," Mac called from the table in between bites of pancake.

"She's in mommy mode, give her a minute."

Veronica shut the fridge and joined them at the table, "good morning and mommy mode?"

Logan nodded, "there's this look you get when you're worrying about something that has to do with Wyatt. Is there enough milk to last all day? She's being extra cranky one of us needs to stay home with her. Was that enough tummy time? Is she warm enough in that outfit?"

"I get the picture…and don't tell me it's cute." His grin was equivalent to the words. She checked the progress of the bottle and found a cloth diaper to drape over her shoulder. "Any luck with Porcellian Security?" Taking the baby from Logan, she put her on the diaper and started rubbing and patting her back.

"I combed through their financials and Wiedman's personal tax returns. He didn't need any investors. The start up capital came directly from his own account. He transferred a million dollars from his investment portfolio to the corporate checking account as the initial deposit."

"Jake Kane must have paid him well."

"According to his tax returns, the answer to that is, yes." Mac glanced at her, "I'm thinking of asking for a raise." Both Logan and Veronica smirked at the suggestion and Mac shook her head. "Sometimes you two are scary. Anyway, I started tracing the million dollars and the interesting thing is it too was a lump sum deposit. It was made in October 2006, but I'm still working on the source of the funds."

Veronica took the bottle from Logan and started to feed Wyatt the last two ounces. "Did you find Ryan Hill?"

Mac nodded, "the reason it took so long is because she's a minor. Ryan Hill is a five-year-old little girl and according to her birth certificate her mother is one Nancy Hill and her father is listed as unknown."

Veronica could think of ten million reasons the unknown father was actually Conner Larkin.


	19. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The identity of Ryan Hill bumped Nancy to the top of the list. She was one of the nine names Logan identified and, if Conner was the intended victim, her daughter as beneficiary of the life insurance policy gave Nancy motive. It was interesting that there was nothing in either Conner or Nancy's background checks that would give away the presence of a child; no child support payments, no payments to daycare centers or nannies, no school tuition, nothing.

They waited for Wyatt to fall asleep before leaving the house. After her double helping of breakfast, it didn't take long until Veronica was able to put her down, but by the time she returned to the kitchen there was a shift in Logan's mood. When she asked where Mac was all he did was point toward the dining room. He didn't utter a single word while she said goodbye to Mac and gathered her things, he just followed her to the car and got behind the wheel. She slid into the passenger seat without questioning his decision to drive.

This was a new side to his personality, reserved and pensive, which to an outsider might seem similar to "brooding teenage Logan," but she could tell the difference. This Logan was more composed, more contained. It was the same stillness from the kitchen when they talked about Trina's arraignment. "I'm going to need you to talk to me now because I'm starting to get worried. Are you okay?"

A forced smile, "I'm fine."

_Translated meant not fine_ ; Veronica frowned at his profile, trying to will him into speaking with some kind of Jedi mind trick, but he remained stubbornly silent. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the courthouse? I'll go with you."

"It's already over."

The arraignment might be over, but they wouldn't transfer Trina to county lockup until the end of the day. "We could call David; maybe he could get us in to see her?"

"I saw her last night."

This had to be about Trina. It certainly wasn't about Savannah, his "list," or her insecurities because they'd moved past that. It wasn't her discussing murders and swimming pools because, well that was the general conversation in their house these days, so why the sudden change? "Please talk to me."

He shrugged, "there's nothing to talk about."

"Fine," she echoed his same distant tone. The drive lasted an eternity and when he pulled into the lot of the Suite Stay, she was anxious to escape the silence. In the instant he was done parking, she was out of the car and rushing into the hotel.

Most of the crew was staying on the sixth and seventh floors in blocks of rooms reserved by Echo Films, but Nancy's suite was on the first floor. Veronica bypassed the elevator and took the stairs up one flight. Logan and his long legs had no trouble keeping up with her rapid pace; she could feel him behind her each step of the way.

She knocked on the door and it swung open, "you're strangers." Veronica's gaze dropped to the little girl in white shorts and pink tee shirt. Her dark brown hair was parted into pigtails that started to swing as she shook her head, "Mommy says I can't talk to you."

"Ryan!" A woman, Veronica assumed was Nancy Hill, came running toward them. "How many times have I told you not to open the door?" In one motion, she tugged Ryan back and stepped in front of her, creating a blockade between the "strangers" and her child.  _I have to remember that move_. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Veronica Mars and this is…"

She cut her off, "you're here about Julie right? Savannah said you were talking to the crew." Ryan peered around her mother's leg and Veronica smiled at her. An answering grin spread across her face and she wiggled out from behind Nancy. "It might be easier if you came in." She left the door open, put her hands on Ryan's shoulders and guided her down the short hall into the sitting room.

Logan waited for Veronica to enter and then he followed, shutting the door behind them. "I just have a few questions…"

Nancy held up a finger to stop her talking and then looked at her daughter, "did you finish packing your stuffed animals?"

She turned her head to the right, paused and then turned it all the way to the left, in a dramatic slow-motion  _no_. "They don't like the suitcase, it's dark inside." Ryan folded her arms across her chest and titled her chin in stubborn defiance. Veronica glanced at Logan, a tiny smile quirked the corner of his mouth.

"If you don't pack them how are they going to get home?"

A tiny eye roll, "I'll carry them."

Logan's head swiveled in her direction so fast Veronica was surprised he didn't end up with whiplash. The delighted look in his eyes was easy to decipher,  _this is you and Wyatt five years from now_. She gave him a slight head shake and he responded with the first real smile she'd seen since they left the house. Nancy turned to them with an apologetic shrug and tried again, "we brought them here in a suitcase."

"And they didn't like it. They told me so." Nancy blew out an exasperated sigh.

"You know I was afraid of the dark when I was little," Logan squatted down so he was eye level with Ryan.

She gave him a disbelieving look, "really?"

"Terrified." He pulled the car keys out of his pocket, "and you know what my sister did?" There was a faint crack in his voice on the word sister, "she gave me a flashlight." Logan worked the flashlight keychain off the ring and held it out for her, "I'll bet if you put this in the suitcase with your animals they won't be afraid of the dark."

Ryan took the mini-light from Logan and then quickly looked up at her mother, checking to see if it was okay; Nancy nodded. "I'm gonna give it to Mr. Monkey."

A hint of a smile curved his mouth, "is he the one in charge?"

"No silly," she shook her head whipping her ponytails back and forth, "he has  _hands_." She started skipping toward the bedroom, stopped and glanced back. "What's your name?"

"Logan."

"Thanks, Logan." She giggled, waved goodbye and disappeared into the other room. Nancy gave it a second before crossing the room to check that Ryan was actually packing said stuffed animals and then shut the connecting door, "I don't want her to hear us talk." The furniture and arrangement were the same as in Savannah's suite; sofa, coffee table and two club chairs. Nancy sat in one of the chairs. "Thank you for that. She can be very stubborn when she sets her mind to it. Do you have kids?"

Veronica interrupted Logan's response, "would you mind if I helped myself to a glass of water?" The question served its two-fold purpose; stopping him from answering and distracting Nancy. She hoped he was truly adept at reading her "mommy mode" and let the subject drop.  _There would be no discussing Wyatt with potential murderers, thank you very much_.

"There's bottled water in the fridge," Nancy waved toward the kitchenette, "help yourself."

The fridge was filled with healthy kid-friendly snacks: organic juice boxes, yogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables, and little containers of hummus. Veronica retrieved the unwanted bottle of water and turned back to the living room.

"She's quite a charmer," Logan inclined his head toward the bedroom, "does Conner get to spend a lot of time with her?" Veronica wanted to kiss him. His casual question told Nancy they knew Conner was Ryan's father thereby skipping right over all the awkward dialogue needed to establish that fact.

"He told you?"

Logan avoided a direct answer, "Conner and I have known each other for a long time."

She leveled him with the same disbelieving look Ryan used and then she shook her head, "of course,  _Logan_  Echolls, I should've realized. I…I'm sorry about your sister." His mouth twisted in pain, but he nodded away her apology. "Conner," a deep frown, "he doesn't…" She fell silent and glanced at the connecting door. Her face was very expressive. Veronica could see the conflicting emotions play across her features from concern to annoyance to anger. "Conner doesn't spend  _any_  time with Ryan."

"That's his loss." Nancy gave him a warm smile. _Was there any woman immune to the charms of Logan Echolls?_  "And he's a jerk."

Her look said  _jerk_  was too mild an epithet. "When I told him I was pregnant he actually said, what do you want me to do about it," bitterness hung from every word. "He doesn't pay child support. He thinks since I decided to have her, she's my responsibility. Not that I mind, but it's hard you know? Most of the time she has to stay with my mom while I work and," she shrugged, "I miss her."

Veronica pulled the conversation to their reason for coming here, "it must be hard working with him on the movie?"

"It's a job and we're good at avoiding each other. I don't really have to work with the actors that much," she sounded relieved by that fact. "I scout locations, get permits, work with the unions."

"What made you choose Neptune?"

"I didn't. I wanted to shoot in L.A. to stay closer to Ryan, but Trina was really great about it. She offered me more money, got me a bigger suite, told me to bring Ryan with me. I thought maybe Conner would…" Disappointment spread across her face.  _Obviously whatever she thought Conner would do didn't happen_.

"So Trina wanted to shoot in Neptune?"

"I don't think so; I think Julie pushed for it. The pre-production for this project was…if I call it a nightmare…that would be under-selling it. We didn't even know what movie we were making Blood Lilly or Dearly Departed." She got up, wandered into the kitchenette and got a bottle of water. She waved it at Logan, a silent inquiry, and he shook his head. Nancy twisted off the cap and took a long swallow before resuming her story. "Trina was going to make the original movie and just cut the final scene where you kill Lilly, but then she…I don't know…had a change of heart? Regretted the idea? It was slash and burn time."

Veronica nodded, "can you walk me through the timing? The script changes, when the actors signed on to the project, the location scouting, that sort of thing."

"After she purchased the script, she started hiring the crew."

Logan added, "Film crews work on a lot of projects together so if you select a certain DP, Director of Photography, he has lighting crews and cameramen, he wants to use, people he's comfortable working with, guys he knows will deliver what he wants. Trina wouldn't have hired each individual personally."

"I would say it's organic, but that implies that it just comes together like magic and that so isn't the case, especially not here. There were scheduling conflicts and…anyway, after the crew was in place is when Trina decided on the major rewrites and title change. Then Julie signed on, which was a coup, since she brought Chad with her."

"From everything I've heard, Julie wanted to star in the original movie, any idea what made her sign on to the project after the rewrites?"

She considered the question, "Trina didn't really have a clear vision for the movie. There are some scenes pulled from the original script and a few new ones that are really good, but all together, it's choppy. I think Julie was hoping to convince Trina,  _push_  Trina, to do things her way."

"An actress who wants to direct?"

Nancy laughed, "don't they all? No, it was…weird. Julie pushed for filming in Neptune and researched her role like we were still shooting the original script. In all her interviews she talked about playing Lilly Kane. I think that's why the press was so clueless and Trina pretty much let her do whatever she wanted. She'd invested all her money and she really needed this movie to be successful. Julie and Chad…the publicity, Trina needed them."

"Does everyone know Trina is out of money?"

"Gossip travels faster than germs."

"Did you know Conner was sleeping with Trina  _and_  Julie?" Nancy didn't appear shocked by Logan's blunt question, but Veronica was, she frowned at him and he ignored her. "Was that difficult?"

"For me?" Genuine surprise, "I don't care who Conner is sleeping with; I've never cared. We didn't have a relationship, we had sex. I did warn Trina to be careful though because," a small head shake, "I actually like her. Sure, she's dramatic and over-the-top, but I knew she had… _issues_ …and, well, Conner's not exactly the sensitive type although he plays one on T.V."

Veronica piped up, "issues?"

"You know, from her childhood." Her eyes rested on Logan. They were filled with pity and Veronica internally cringed. Logan hated pity.

"Did you know about the cast insurance?"

Nancy's gaze returned to Veronica, "it's pretty standard."

"Then you must know that Conner named Ryan as his beneficiary."

"That was Trina's doing." Nancy smirked, "Conner doesn't give a rat's ass about  _my_  daughter. Trina was the one pushing him to do the right thing and be an actual father to Ryan. They fought about it. At least that's what she told me. She tried convincing him that it was important for a little girl to have a good father."

_I can attest to that fact_. "Did she tell you about Kleine Schritte?"

"Not in any detail just that it helped her, you know, get her priorities straight. Yet another reason I told her she should steer clear of Conner. If anyone could mess up her progress, it would be him." She frowned, "It was after their fight about Ryan that he started sleeping with Julie. I couldn't help thinking it was partly his way of getting back at her for butting in to his business."

Logan's fists were clenched at his sides and his entire body was tense. Veronica moved the conversation away from Trina. "Were you on set the day Julie was killed?"

Nancy nodded. "We lost a day of filming so we were trying to make up for it. We only had the house for a certain amount of time and there were scenes added; it was all pretty chaotic." She stood, "I just need to check on Ryan, she's been too quiet for too long."

As soon as she disappeared into the other room, Veronica turned to Logan, "are you okay?"

Anger flashed across his face, "I don't know  _Dr. Phil_ , you tell me. Want me to stretch out on your couch and share my earliest childhood memory?" She recoiled and his expression turned sorrowful, "Veronica, I…"

"She's okay; she fell asleep with Mr. Monkey." Nancy sat back down, "now what was I saying? Julie, right…I had just gotten back with the food orders and was in the kitchen when it happened. I'm glad I didn't see it; I understand it was pretty gruesome."

"They were supposed to be filming Conner's scene first?"

Nodding, "the fight between him and Trina that Julie witnesses, but Trina wasn't ready…no, that's not right." She chewed on her fingernail, "Julie wanted to close the set and do the sex scene first."

"Close the set?"

Logan explained, "they film sex scenes with a closed set. Once the actors are there, they limit the crew to essential personnel only; camera, wardrobe, to make it a little less awkward."

"Ironic right? If Julie hadn't changed the scenes, she might still be alive."  _And Conner would be dead_. The thought occurred to Nancy in the exact same instant. Veronica could see it in the change of posture and the shuttered expression.

She doubted Nancy would continue to be helpful now that she was on guard, but Veronica tried anyway. "Savannah told me you fired the set P.A. Sloan? You thought she was responsible for the pranks?"

"She just always seemed to be there when they happened, but obviously I was wrong." She stood, "I should really get back to packing while Ryan is asleep."

"Are you leaving?"

Another look of surprise, "we're all leaving. Now that Trina's been arrested, there's no movie. No movie, no job." She started walking toward the door. Veronica let her lead them out of the room. "I am really sorry about your sister. Please let her know, if there's anything I can do…"

"I'll tell her."

As Nancy shut the door, Veronica was already on the move. The less time she spent alone with Logan right now the better. She couldn't understand why the sudden change from happy family morning to this cold hostility, but she wasn't going to let him use her as a verbal punching bag to make himself feel better. She jabbed the button for the elevator and tapped her foot.

"Do you want to go get lunch?"

"No."  _Sorry pal, but an offer of lunch isn't going to make up for it_. She jabbed the button again.

"That's not going to make it come any faster." Veronica hit it again out of spite and he sighed. The elevator doors slid open and she pushed the entire thing from her mind in order to concentrate on the case. She needed to get to everyone on her list before they left town. There was no way she wanted to be making a two hour drive to Los Angeles every morning, four hours if the traffic was heavy, in order to talk to the crew. Too bad traffic and proximity weren't her only problems. She was asking questions, but she still didn't know if they were the right questions.

Lowell Whitworth's room was down the hall from Savannah's and she almost suggested Logan go visit with her to catch up on old times. "Why don't you go have lunch and come pick me up later. I'll call you."

He smirked, "don't call me, I'll call you."

"Something like that." She stalked down the hall toward Lowell's room.

"Veronica, stop. I'm sorry."

She whirled around, "don't you do that." Confusion spread across his face. "Don't just apologize because you think that's what I want to hear. If you're mad at me, be mad at me. Don't  _placate_  me."

"That's not what I'm doing."

Derision colored her tone, "really?"

"It's not you or us, it's me and I  _am_  sorry I snapped at you before. I know you were only worried," his shoulders slumped, "can we just go some place and talk?"

Veronica softened at the sight of his mournful, watery eyes, "what happened? You were fine this morning and then…this."

"Trina was in the Echolls family cell." He smirked, "I hear they're thinking about putting a dedication plaque on the bars. Maybe having a little ceremony to christen it, you know, so it's all official like," jazz hands underscored the word  _official_. "My sister doesn't exactly know how to do stoic."

There was still more. If this was just about last night, he would've talked about it this morning. "They have a bar downstairs."

"That's the last place I need to be." He dragged a hand through his hair. "She was a mess. I've never…Trina is always so detached, but last night she was crying in my arms."

"God Logan," she hugged his waist, "why didn't you tell me any of this earlier?"

"Come on Veronica, avoid and deflect." Veronica felt him shrug, "I didn't want to think about it, so I didn't." He rested his head on hers, "while you were putting Wyatt down, I got a call…they're asking for the death penalty."


	20. CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Logan needed her. She couldn't just pat his arm and tell him, sorry you had a rough night and they want to execute your sister, but I need to go talk to the cast now if I want to solve this case. Reaching behind her back, she grabbed hold of his hands and pulled them from her waist. Not letting go of them, she walked backward, tugging him down the hall toward the elevator. "Uh-oh Veronica has a plan. Should I be worried?"

"I'm going to take care of you."

He made a show of checking out their surroundings and tried giving her a suggestive leer, but the bleak look in his eyes belied the attempt. Once they were in the elevator, she snuggled close to him and squeezed his middle. He sighed, "this is why I didn't want to talk to you."

Veronica tilted her head back and frowned at him, "because I might hug you? I've got news for you, this is just the beginning. You may want to prepare yourself for an afternoon of spooning."

"We need,  _you_  need, to be spending the afternoon talking to Lowell Whitworth and…"

"I'm sorry Logan, there's just no escaping the cuddling." He let her lead him out of the elevator, but instead of turning for the doors, she headed for the front desk. The bored clerk watched their approach with little interest. Veronica was half tempted to spice up his day  _and_ Logan's with a story about kinky sex and their desperate need to know what  _services_  the hotel offered. "I need a room."

Logan arched a brow at her, but didn't say anything while she checked them in. His only contribution to the transaction was to put his black Amex on the counter and sign the charge slip. He waited until they were alone in the elevator and on their way to the top floor before speaking. "Is your plan to get naked and distract me from my troubles?"

"Would that work?"

"I don't know Veronica," he shoved a hand in the front pocket of his jeans and leaned one shoulder on the door frame while his eyes cut a lazy path over her body. He sighed, "but I guess I'm willing to try."

"Don't let me put you out or anything," she pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.

"Putting out? Isn't that what you're going to do?" She shook her head. "You know for two people who spend an inordinate amount of time in elevators," his hand hovered over the emergency stop button, "we have yet to do it in one."

Veronica glanced at the floor indicator and timed her response, "and it's not going to happen today." The car stopped and the doors slid open. "We're going someplace private to talk," Logan groaned, "where I can also feed you and make sure you get some sleep."

"But you're not ruling it out entirely right?" At her perplexed look, he waggled his eyebrows, "the love in an elevator,  _me_  living it up while  _you're_  going down?"

She flushed, "I don't think those are the lyrics."

A picture of innocence, "what lyrics?"

Using the plastic key card, she let them into the suite. She gave him a gentle push toward the bedroom and located the room service menu before joining him. He was already sprawled across the bed with his hands behind his head, ankles crossed and staring at the ceiling. When Veronica picked up the room phone to order lunch, Logan turned his head to watch her. She asked for French onion soup, Caesar salad, pepper-crusted filet mignon and cheesecake for two plus a pot of coffee for him and then added a double order of fries.

"Is some of that for me or do I need to order my own?"

"I might share, I haven't decided yet." She toed off her boots, undid the snap and zipper of her jeans and wriggled out of them. Undoing her bra, she slipped it out from under her camisole and tossed it on top of her jeans.

"If you don't stop removing your clothes, there will be very little talking."

She crawled on the bed, settled herself in the crook of his arm and rested her head on his chest. Rolling on his side, he pulled her closer and wrapped himself around her until there was no space between them. Veronica could hear the beat of his heart and feel the gentle rise and fall of his chest with each breath he took. She rubbed one hand up and down his back and with the other stroked the hair at the nape of his neck. They didn't move, or speak, content to just hold each other, until room service arrived.

When she started to get up, he shook his head, "yeah, I don't think so." He pointedly looked at her lack of clothing, "that's too generous a tip for some steak and salad."

She smiled, "there are fries too."

"Well in that case…" He paused like he was willing to let her go and then rolled out of bed to get the food. He made sure to close the connecting door behind him cutting off the bedroom from view. Veronica fluffed and propped the pillows up against the headboard and leaned back to wait. He returned, pushing the room service cart in front of him and stopped when he saw her draped across the bed, "they should put you in the brochure; they'd never have a vacancy." He peeled off his shirt, kicked off his jeans, and joined her.

"That would be false advertising, I only come with your room."

"Don't I feel special." He dropped a kiss on her shoulder.

It was her turn to make sure he ate. He tried to fake it; a few bites of salad, a French fry, and a little cheese off the top of the soup. She watched as he cut the steak into small pieces, which he pushed around his plate without eating. Tilting her head, she tapped her chin and adopted a German accent, "I haf vays of making you eat."

Veronica put a piece of filet in her mouth, kissed him and transferred the steak to his mouth. "Mmm, it does taste better this way."

"Or we can do it like this," she held a spoonful of soup to his lips and he dutifully ate it. "I'll think of it as practice for when Wyatt moves to solids."

At the mention of Wyatt, he frowned. "Conner's a real jackass. How could he not want to see his own kid? He's missed five years of her life and doesn't care."

She dragged a fry through the ketchup and fed it to him. "I'm surprised Nancy didn't sue him for child support, I would have."

"There's no way I would do…"

"We're talking about Conner, Logan, not you. I know there's no way you wouldn't take care of Wyatt." She popped a piece of steak in his mouth and he nipped her fingers. "Were you really afraid of the dark?"

"Yeah," the wounded look was back in his eyes. "I had a Snoopy nightlight and I had to sleep with my bedroom door open. The nanny would leave the light on in the bathroom across the hall." She smiled. "What?"

"I'm picturing little you in cute footie pajamas with the back flap and a teddy bear."

"I wasn't one of the Darling children." She just continued smiling and shrugged. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and bit the fry she was holding. "When I was four Aaron decided I was too old for nightlights. The only way to overcome a fear is to face it,  _son_." At her stricken expression, he said, "I told you it wasn't a Disney movie."

"Is that when Trina gave you a flashlight?"

"No" He looked away, "it wasn't working, his  _sleep training_. I would refuse to go to bed and when he would make me, I'd cry and scream and keep everyone awake. He wasn't… _pleased_ , figured he would have to take care of it during the day when he wasn't home so he locked me in a closet." His voice was flat and emotionless, "Trina pulled up an edge of the carpet and hid a flashlight under it for me." A rueful smile, "the only thing she said was sit in the corner kid, which is how I found it."

They'd talked about the abuse before; a little during the summer they dated junior year and some during that first year at Hearst, but in general terms: ' _What's this?' A shrug, 'cigarette burn.' 'What happened?' 'My dad was an asshole_.' Specific stories were rare and after his experience with fake-Charlie, rare became none. She always suspected he was afraid to tell her. Afraid that she would think less of him and he already had plenty of her judgmental disappointment to deal with. "I was a bitch."

He studied her, trying to determine where that came from, until understanding dawned in his eyes and he nodded. "And I was a fuck-up."

Veronica smiled, "that can be the title of our fairytale, the bitch and the fuck-up."

"It's kinda dark."

"But it has a happy ending." His smile was lewd. "Not like that you perv." He dragged her onto his lap, scattering the fries across the bed and kissed her. Several minutes later when he finally released her mouth, she pouted, "you spilled my fries."

"Still perfectly edible." To demonstrate he popped one in his mouth. She wrinkled her nose at him and he ate another one. "Is this one of your ways to make me eat?"

"It's working isn't it?"

"Speaking of working…"

She shook her head, "you first, then work. It's a little thing I like to refer to as priorities."  _Did she tell you about_ _Kleine Schritte_ _? Not in any detail, just that it helped her get her priorities straight_. "Tell me about last night with Trina."

Logan pressed his forehead to hers, "Bartlitt said they have a good case. The life insurance," he sighed, "the premiums are one of the few bills Trina actually paid, the fight with Julie over Conner, her fingerprints were on the lighting truss, and the assistant director Matt heard her threaten Julie."

"Threaten how?"

"You know the usual way, I'm so mad I could kill you."

"It all sounds very circumstantial."

He shrugged, "motive, means and opportunity right? Plenty of motives and that small theater company she was working for in L.A.?" Veronica nodded. "It was the kind of operation where everyone pitched in on whatever needed to be done, including rigging the lights."

"Trina would know how to increase the amperage and tamper with the ground wires."

"Yeah and you saw the chart, Trina was on set for every prank."

Veronica frowned, "you don't think she did it, do you?"

Letting her go, he fell back on the bed. "I'm probably not the best person to ask. I didn't know my father killed Lilly or that my mother was suicidal. No idea about Duncan's epilepsy or that Carrie helped dispose of Susan's body." He laughed, "I called Trina clueless, but I think I have her beat."

"But I am asking you."

"Then my answer is no; no, I don't think my sister killed Julie." He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, "I sat in that cell with her for hours and all she could do was cry and tell me she was sorry." His body shook. Veronica snuggled against him and his arms coiled around her, clutching her tight.

She kissed his chest and ran her hand along his arm. "I'll find the person who did this."

"I know." His cupped her chin and tilted her head back to see her face, "but please be careful Veronica. If something happens to you while you're trying to save my sister, I won't be able to live with that." His gaze was solemn and intense.

Smoothing the worry lines from is forehead; her fingertips then traced the planes of his face and glided over his lips. "I'll be careful."

Logan let go of her chin and returned his hand to her hip, pulling her closer. He closed his eyes and they both fell silent.

_The death penalty_. California's history with it was a tangled one; declaring it unconstitutional twice, putting a moratorium on executions, and trying to get voters to replace it with life in prison. In the past forty years only thirteen people were ever actually executed and all of them were male. California didn't really seem to  _want_  to have the death penalty, yet they were asking for it in Trina's case. Veronica had a sinking feeling that the answer to the question  _why_  had to do with her last name being Echolls.

Aaron was declared not guilty on all charges; murder, aggravated assault, statutory rape, and charges against Logan for both the murder of Felix and Carrie were dropped. All were high profile cases, spreading beyond local news to the national papers and then to the world beyond and, to that world, it was starting to look like California had granted the Echolls family an unlimited number of  _get out of jail free_  cards. Trina was going to be their example.

Logan was falling asleep. His grip on her was loosening, his breathing deep and even. Veronica continued to stroke his hair. While waiting for him last night, she'd dozed a few times, but she'd been awake at four a.m. to feed Wyatt and he still wasn't home. After an emotionally trying day, who was she kidding? After an emotionally trying  _week_ , he was only operating on less than four hours of sleep and she hoped he'd stay asleep for a while.

Extracting herself from his embrace required rolling over her spilled fries. She cleaned up the remains from lunch, pulled the blackout drapes across the windows, and rummaged through his jeans for his cell phone. Then she gathered her clothes and left the bedroom to get dressed. She shut off his phone and put it on the coffee table so he would see it if he woke up. After having the front desk put a do not disturb on the room phone, she hung the same message on the doorknob and headed for the elevators. She'd come back to check on him later, but there were things to do.

Veronica called her dad. His first question was, "how's Logan doing?"

_How is Logan doing?_  "Not good. He spent the night in jail with Trina."

"How did he manage that?" Veronica supposed his phrasing was better than him asking  _did he get himself arrested again_ , but she still didn't like the tone.  _Baby steps_.

"It was under the guise of an attorney client meeting, David was with them." Her own tone was a bit frosty and Keith instantly recognized where he went wrong.

There was an awkward pause and then he asked, "what can I do to help?"

"For right now, can you and Dottie go relieve Mac of her babysitting duties? I need her to do something for me and she'll probably need the computers at the office."

"Will do kiddo, anything else?"

"The movie crew is breaking camp, once they scatter, I may need you to head to L.A. to track them down." The elevator arrived on the seventh floor.

"Hollywood here I come. Maybe I'll get my big break and land my own show. I can see the headlines now; Keith Mars is out of this world."

"And out of his mind," she smiled. "I'm going to call Mac now and let her know you're coming. Depending on how things go, I may need you to bring Wyatt to me later."

"What sort of things?"  _A dash of suspicion mixed with concern laced with love; the regular Keith Mars cocktail, when talking to me_. Veronica grinned.

"The, you have no reason to worry, normal sort of things." In response, he uttered a little scoffing,  _heh_. "Let me go call Mac, I love you."

"I love you too and Veronica, don't do anything…"

"You wouldn't do? Got it. No hiring prostitutes, or stealing evidence or breaking into crime scenes…oh wait, you  _have_  done those things."

"In my youth perhaps, but we're older and wiser people now, honey."

She rolled her eyes, "two weeks ago was your youth?"

"What can I say? I age rapidly; it's a little thing I like to call Veronica Syndrome."

"This is me hanging up on you." She disconnected the call in the middle of his laughter and dialed Mac. "Hey, how's Wyatt?"

"A little fussy, but I put the pack n' play in the laundry room like Logan told me and it seemed to do the trick. In a related note, I rewashed all the clean towels in your linen closet."

"I'm sorry Mac. My dad and Dottie are going to come take over for you."

"They don't have to do that, I wasn't complaining."

"I know you weren't, but I need you to do something for me." A wry grin, "well actually a few things; first, see if you can find any connection between Julie and Lowell Whitworth. I'm going to see him now, so if you find anything text it to me."

"Okay, I'll work on that while Wyatt's sleeping, what else?"

"Julie. I need all her financial records, everything you can find; income, banking, recent purchases, and I want to know the source of every deposit. Go back three years."

"Anything else?"

"Two more things. The rats are deserting the sinking ship, best guess, starting tomorrow morning. Any way you can monitor the computers at the Grand, erase their guest records and delay check out by a few hours? Buy me some time?"

"You know that's against the law and I can't be party to any illegal activities, right? I mean even though it's something I could probably do with an Etch a Sketch and some twigs, I won't."

Veronica grinned, "I knew I could count on you to be my moral compass. You're always looking out for me."

"Even with an advanced degree from MIT, I don't think I could figure out how to keep you from getting into all sorts of trouble."

"What's with everyone today? You almost get killed a handful of times and suddenly everybody thinks I'm a trouble magnet."

"We should get one of those on the job safety signs for the office. Veronica has worked x number of days without being arrested or almost killed. Danger is avoidable."

"With jokes like that your raise becomes less and less likely to happen." Mac snorted. "Last thing, for today anyway, I need contact information for Harvey Greenblatt, he used to be Aaron Echolls' agent; Avi Kaufman, he's an accountant, or as Logan calls him, bean counter to the stars; and, Barry Randall, the Echolls' estate planning attorney."

"Why don't you just ask Logan?"

"It's easier this way." If she was going to find anything on Kleine Schritte, it was time to start hobnobbing with the Hollywood power players and, if what she suspected was true, she wanted to get the information before Logan did.


	21. CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY

Mac promised to text her the contact information for Harvey, Avi, and Barry, but she didn't sound happy about it. She considered Logan a friend and her reluctance spoke volumes about her opinion of Veronica's plan to do this without involving him.  _Maybe I shouldn't have involved Mac either_. All three men were the trustees of Logan's trust and she could've just gone through the files at home for their phone numbers. Veronica frowned. She wasn't hiding anything from him; there just wasn't anything to tell him yet and as soon as she knew, she would share.  _Then why do I feel guilty?_

She pushed away the thought and knocked on room seven fifteen. Lowell Whitworth was wearing almost the exact same thing he wore when she saw him fighting with Trina; sneakers, black jeans, and black tee shirt, sans ball cap. She introduced herself and added, "David Bartlitt, Trina's defense attorney, hired me to look into Julie's death."  _Misleading, but more official_. She showed him her investigator's license and he barely glanced at it.

"Make this quick, I have a flight to catch." She looked past him at the interior of the room as a subtle suggestion that he should invite her inside, but the cue was lost on him; he leaned against the door frame and waited for her.

"Maybe we should go inside?"

He considered it for a beat and then shook his head, "I'm in a rush."

The lack of hospitality was going to seriously hamper her ability to finesse these questions. "You left the rigging above the pool setup overnight; did you check it again that morning?"

A head shake, "Max checked it and Kip was up there too readjusting the lights."

"Did you see anyone else up there?"

He made a face, "I didn't actually sit there and watch it, I was working."

"Had you ever worked with Julie before?" He nodded, but didn't volunteer anything further. "Were you friends?"

A snarled, "that girl didn't have any  _friends_."  _No friends, but plenty of lovers_.

"Were you sleeping with her?" That question earned her a bark of mirthless laughter.  _No, but he maybe wanted to?_  "Chad said he heard you and Julie fighting a couple of days before her death." His eyes moved to a point beyond her shoulder and he abandoned the relaxed leaning position.  _He's getting ready to lie_. "Chad said you threatened her."

"I did not  _threaten_  her." Lowell scratched his nose.

"You told her she was fucking everything up and she hit you." He took an aggressive step toward her and Veronica held her ground. The defiant stance threw him and he hesitated. "What was she doing that made you mad enough to call her a cunt?"

His mouth twisted into a sneer, "I called her a  _stupid_  cunt; maybe you should get your facts straight. Go back to pretty boy and ask him, since he seems to have all the answers."

_Thrust and parry_. She backed off, "are you heading back to Los Angeles?"

The quick change of subject made him relax and he was more than happy to leave the discussion of his fight with Julie. "Yeah, I've got another job lined up."

Veronica nodded. "How long have you known Julie?"

A slight shrug, "we met a few years back; I worked on a project with her dad."

"Film editor, right?" An easy nod; his body was loose, the tension from the earlier questions, gone.  _Time to rile him up again_. "So when you tried sleeping with Julie, did she turn you down because you weren't famous enough? Or because you weren't pretty enough?"

He was fast. Lowell grabbed her arm and squeezed, hard. "Julie was a lying bitch."

The pressure on her arm increased on the word bitch. He pulled her closer and really dug his fingers into her flesh. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she blinked them away. "If the only requirement for being a bitch is not wanting to sleep with you, count me …" He shook her to make her shut up.

"Julie had a plan,  _we_  had a plan, and then she cut me out. I  _helped_  her and she stabbed me in the back." He shoved her away from him and released her arm. Veronica stumbled back against the half-wall separating the hall from the drop to the lobby floor. She gripped the top railing to steady herself as Lowell ducked back in his room and slammed the door.  _Fuck_.

She rubbed her arm. It was already red and would probably turn into a nice hand-sized bruise by tomorrow.  _Explaining this to Logan is going to be a fun time_. Since she didn't want to be standing outside Lowell's door when he left for the airport, she headed down the hall. Max was next on her list, but he was one floor down while Matt, the assistant director, who overheard Trina's threats was conveniently located right here. She glanced back at Lowell's door and returned to the elevator.

She was  _trying_  to not rush into things without thinking first.  _No more meeting people alone in their rooms Veronica_. Instead of pushing the button for six, she hit the one for the lobby and used the courtesy phone to call up to Max's room. He answered on the second ring, "Max Weaver."

"Hi, this is Veronica Mars. I was hired by Trina's attorney to investigate her case and I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk?"

"I guess so, sure."

"Great. I'm in the hotel lobby; can you meet me in the bar in say five minutes?"

"Make it ten and I'll be there. How will I know you?"

"Don't worry, I'll find you." She hung up the phone and crossed the lobby to the bar. The bar itself was not a separate room, but an open alcove. The frosted glass tabletops were supported by one tall, stainless steel pole in the center and surrounded by padded bar stools with high backs and swivel bases. There was a party of four at one of the tables in the back, a couple off to the side, and a man and woman sitting next to each other at the bar. They looked like they were there together, but they weren't talking and they were both staring straight ahead at their reflections in the bar mirror. Their body language said, fight. None of them were people associated with the movie.

Veronica ordered a club soda and carried it to a table with a view of both the inside of the bar and the lobby. She took the seat, which allowed her to keep her back to the wall. Lowell's  _we had a plan_  and  _I helped her_  were starting to put things into focus, but it didn't make any sense. He definitely had the temperament to kill Julie, Veronica rubbed her arm, but she didn't see him choosing such a passive means to do it.  _Strangling her with his bare hands in a fit of rage seemed more his thing_.

Ten minutes was closer to fifteen and she was almost done with her drink when she saw Max exit the elevator. His brown, sun kissed hair, was cut in long layers and razored around the edges in a style known as "the shag." He loped across the lobby in a long, easy stride. As he got closer, she waved and he broke out into a big toothy grin like they were old friends.

"Hey, I'm Max." He held out a hand and she shook it. "Do you want another one?" He pointed at her glass.

"Club soda."

"Cool." As he crossed to the bar, he smiled at the couple off to the side and said hi to the fighting couple before ordering her drink and a beer for himself. While he waited for the bartender, he drummed his hands on the bar top. When he returned to the table he set the drinks down, spun the stool so the back was facing the table and straddled the seat. "So you're investigating Julie's murder? That's pretty cool. Do you like it?" Another easygoing smile, "duh, I mean, being a private investigator, do you like it? I bet it's nothing like in the movies, am I right?"

Veronica couldn't help but smile at him, "no, nothing like the movies."

"So whaddya want to know? I'm an open book. I know most people say that, they're usually lying, but me," he shrugged, "I don't give a fu…uh, what I mean is, you can ask me anything."

"What can you tell me about the pranks on the set?"

"They were  _hilarious_. Okay not so much the pranks themselves, they were kinda dumb. Itching powder and laxatives, come on. But, man, the  _reactions_  were priceless. I shoulda filmed that shit and put it on You Tube." She bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. "Hey it's kinda cute when you do that, are you married or something?"

"Or something."  _Attacked by one crew member and picked up by another; this is turning into an eventful day_. "What was so funny about the reactions?"

"What wasn't funny? Picture it; a cast of drama queens who freak out if you get them like one egg instead of two or if it's  _scrambled_  instead of poached, then you put itching powder in their costumes. I totally lost it; Chad effin' Taylor, heartthrob, jumping around the edge of the pool, scratchin' his junk and cursing like a sailor. It was a beautiful thing man." His green eyes were practically glowing with delight.

"Was everybody on the set pranked?"

He started drumming against the back of the chair while he thought about it. "The wrong call times were really only for the crew, the actors not so much. I think the entire crew ate the dosed food and uh, Larkin too." Another grin while he reminisced about Conner and the laxatives. "Trina, man, she probably got it the worst right? Since she was the one paying for all the shit that went wrong," he shrugged.

"Who did you think was responsible?"

He took a long swallow of his beer, "Didn't really give it much thought. If I had to guess, I'd say someone who didn't like Trina very much. She's pretty cool, knows fuck-all about directing, but still cool. Totally don't believe she killed Julie, I woulda thought it the other way around, know what I mean?"

Veronica frowned, "that Julie would want to kill Trina?" At his nod, she asked, "why?"

"Julie  _hated_  her, big time, man. Always rubbing her nose in the fact that she was doing Conner, and telling her the movie sucked. A few times me and Kip had to step in and get Julie to leave her alone."

"That was nice of you."

Another shrug, "like I said, I like Trina and Julie was a royal bitch to her."  _This information was not going to help with Trina's case at all_.

"Matt said that Trina threatened to kill Julie."

Max scoffed, "that's bullshit. I mean she said something like it, but it was more like shit you say when you're angry like I hate you or drop dead."

"Do you know what they were fighting about?"

"You know the scene where Conner smacks Trina around and then dives into the pool like it was no big deal?" Veronica nodded. "Julie figured out it was real. Called Trina out on it in front of the whole crew; told her she should deal with her personal issues on her own time."

"How did Trina respond?"

"She was livid pissed. Started railing on Julie about what a hypocrite she was wanting to film Blood Lilly, which  _was_  Trina's personal life, at the same time complaining about this scene."

_She had a point_. "Then what happened?"

"Julie shouted something like grow the fuck up, so your daddy was a killer and your brother," he took another long pull of his beer and Veronica wanted to grab it from his hand so he would finish the story.

She prompted, "and your brother?"

"That was it. Once she mentioned Trina's brother, Trina went after her and Julie took off running… man that was great. Do you want another one?"

Veronica shook her head, "and that's when Trina threatened her?"

"Yeah, but I don't think she said  _I_  could kill you, it was more like  _somebody_ should just kill you and put us out of our misery and she didn't actually scream it at Julie. It was like she muttered it to herself, you know what I mean?" He stood, "I'm gonna get another one, are you sure you don't want?"

"Okay, one more." He rewarded her with a wide grin and ambled back to the bar. She checked her phone. There were no missed calls so hopefully Logan was still asleep. There were also no text messages from Mac.

Max put their drinks down. "So your boyfriend he's cool with you being a detective?"

_Answering that question could take all day_. She just nodded. "I talked to Lowell Whitworth…"

"Douchebag." He jerked his head up to see if he'd offended her and Veronica smiled in agreement. "Him and Julie were always whispering and shit…totally think he wanted to get in her pants," a disgusted grunt, "dude is old enough to be her  _dad."_

"He said you checked the lights that morning."

His beer was halfway to his mouth when it stopped; horror spread across his face replacing the affable expression and he set the bottle on the table with a loud thunk. "Oh, man, I thought Lowell," he looked crushed, "if I…Julie would…and Trina,  _shit_."

_Surprise, surprise Lowell lied to me_. "It's not your fault."

He wasn't having any of her absolution. "I should've checked them myself."

"Was anyone near them?"

"Sure, Kip was up there when I first arrived on set. I think he was swapping a blonde for a Fresnel and adding CTBs. That's why I thought Lowell…" He shook his head, "oh man, I fucked up."

"Can you remember anyone else up there?"

His brow furrowed in concentration, "don't think so. Scott was working with Kip, but he was on the ground and Sam came over to discuss something…oh, and Trina was there talking about the scene change."

"Julie wanted to film the sex scene first."

"Yeah, that was a smart move." At Veronica's frown of disapproval, he corrected, "no, no, I didn't mean that sarcastically it really was a smart move. I told you Trina knew fuck-all about directing. That should've been the order in the first place, sex scene, fight, murder, 'cause of the light." Her lack of comprehension was obvious. "Early morning for the sex scene, fight in the middle of the afternoon, and then the murder at night; utilize the natural light."

"If Julie didn't change the order of filming would someone else?"

"Most definitely; Sam and Matt never really listened to Trina anyway. They were shooting the movie the way they wanted and Julie…she might've been a bitch, but she knew movies. Dad's a film editor, her mom's a costume designer, and her grandfather was an actor, she grew up on movie sets."  _Like Logan_.

"You seem to know a lot about Julie."

"Cause she was always talking about herself. Man, she never missed a chance to remind us that she was the  _star_ , know what I mean?"

Veronica's cell phone chimed alerting her to a text message. She glanced at the screen; phone numbers for Harvey, Avi, and Barry. "Are you heading back to L.A.?"

"Tomorrow morning." He covered her hand with his, "have dinner with me tonight? You can show me around town, you know as  _friends_." His mouth said friends, but his eyes said he wanted to be buying her breakfast in the morning.

Freeing her hand, she slipped off the bar stool and dropped her phone in her purse. "Boyfriend, remember? Have a nice flight." She left him sitting in the bar and sent Mac a text once she was in the elevator:  _check to see if Julie has any connection to Kip Williams and get me everything you can on him; your raise is imminent_.

There were still no messages or missed calls from Logan. She scrolled through her contacts to Gayle Buckley at Truman-Mann. After getting the charges dropped against Logan for Carrie's murder, she'd called Gayle to apologize for the lack of return phone calls and the complete disregard for the job offer.  _Look at me learning not to burn bridges_.

The receptionist asked her to hold, but it wasn't long before Gayle was on the line, "Veronica, have you finally come to your senses and decided to work for me?"

She grinned, "nope still crazy after all these years." Delighted laughter spilled across the line. "Still working your magic? Making frivolous lawsuits disappear with a wave of your wand?"

"A wave of my sword; I leave the wands to Chuck." She'd become an invaluable resource to Veronica when studying for the Bar exam; Gayle had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the law and was always willing to share. Sometimes Veronica thought working for her wouldn't have been too bad.  _Boring and unfulfilling, but not bad_. "How is the life of my favorite private investigator?"

"It's good. Actually I'm working on a case right now and I could use your help." Talking to Gayle would be better than reading a thick volume of Bankruptcy Law.  _Faster and less sleep-inducing too_. "Refresh my memory on Chapter 7 bankruptcy for corporations not individuals."

"Do you want the short answer?"

"Please."

"A Chapter 7 doesn't discharge the liability of a corporation, instead the Court appoints a bankruptcy trustee to liquidate all the assets and pay the creditors according to priority."

"What if its only asset is intellectual property?"

"That can be more complicated since there's an inherent conflict between bankruptcy law and intellectual property law, but it has been done. Usually the trustee will sell it via auction in order to maximize the asset. Do you want me to send you some case law?"

"I don't think it's necessary, but thanks."

"Call me anytime Veronica." She thanked her again and disconnected the call.

The pranks  _were_  about bankrupting Trina, but not for revenge, it was for the script. Justin told them Trina  _offered me a lot of money, if I would let her buy it and sign over all my rights_ , but  _Trina_  wasn't the one who actually bought it. According to Mac, Trina formed Echo Films and used the company to purchase the script;  _Blood Lilly is literally the only asset held by the corporation,_ and Echo Films was in trouble,  _its list of debts is longer than your baby registry_. In a personal bankruptcy there were certain assets that could be excluded, but not so for a corporation. In order to satisfy the growing debt of Echo Films, the script would have to be auctioned off to the highest bidder to pay the creditors.


	22. CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

The suite was dark and quiet, which meant Logan was still asleep. Veronica kicked off her boots, shed her jeans and freed her hair. They had a little while before they needed to get home to Wyatt and she was going to spend the time snuggled next to Logan. Trying not to wake him, she opened the connecting door just wide enough for her to slip through and stopped. He was on his stomach, spread diagonally across the mattress. She was tiny, but not small enough to fit in the available corners.  _Bed hog_.

Veronica kneeled on the mattress and kissed the dip in his back. Keeping her touch light, she trailed one finger up his spine. In his sleep, Logan's arm curved behind him and brushed at his back trying to swat her away. She lowered her mouth, peppering his skin with soft kisses. A mumbled ' _grr_ ' and something that sounded like  _way_  came from his pillow.  _He did not just tell me to go away._

Straddling his waist she smoothed her hands over his back, stroking his skin and massaging the corded muscles of his shoulders. He grunted. She licked up his spine and inched forward. Cocking her head to the side she kissed along his jaw line. Logan turned his head, burying his face in the pillow.  _Game on._ Her tongue stroked down the side of his neck and she nipped at his collar bone before closing her mouth over his skin and sucking.

Her tongue swirled around his ear, caught the lobe between her teeth and gave it a gentle tug. His breathing changed. She knew he was awake and alert, feigning sleep and waiting to see what she would do next.  _Silly Logan, tricks are for kids_. She pulled her camisole over her head and tossed it away, then discarded her bra. Pressing her breasts into his back, she started to slither down his body; her mouth blazing a trail of hot, wet kisses across his skin. Lightly dragging her fingernails down his side, she moved lower.

When her hands dipped beneath the waistband of his boxers, his breathing grew heavy and she smiled. She pushed the boxers down over the curve of his ass and his hips lifted ever so slightly to assist with their removal.  _Gotcha_. Her hands slid into the front of his boxers for a quick teasing stroke and he moaned into the pillow. Kneeling between his knees, she tugged the boxers lower.  _Nice ass_. Who was she kidding?  _Great ass_. Her hands cupped it, massaging it with her fingers while she sucked the small of his back.

Logan started to roll over and she pushed him back into the mattress. Scooting down the bed, she caressed his thighs and once again started pushing down the boxers; past his thighs, over his knees and down his calves. When they were finally off, Logan rolled onto his back. There was no pretense of sleep; he was propped on his elbows intently watching her. A small smile teased the corners of his mouth, "this gives a whole new meaning to the term wake up call."

"It's included in the price of the room."

Lowering her mouth, she stroked him with her tongue and her fingers. Cupping her hand around him, she moved her hand up and down the length of him and swirled her tongue around the sensitive tip. Her eyes met his. The small smile was gone from his face and his mouth was open in that sexy little pout she loved. Veronica slid her mouth further down his shaft and sucked. The same way he knew her body, she knew his, the right pressure, the things that drove him crazy. She started to hum earning her a soft groan.

Logan reached for her, his fingers grazing the curve of her cheek and tucking her hair behind her ear. Her hands cradled the base of him and her mouth sunk further until he was pressed deep in the back of her throat. She bobbed her head, sliding her mouth up and down his length sucking and pulling at him. His tongue moistened his bottom lip and a soft " _fuck_ " fell from his mouth. Veronica increased the rhythm taking him deeper each time. Her hands worked in concert with her mouth; rubbing and caressing him until the muscles in his face went slack and his eyes glazed over and she knew he was close. " _Veronica_ ," he growled her name as a warning and she slowly released him.

Logan pulled her down and rolled them over, pinning her to the mattress. "Nice nap?" Was all she managed to say before his mouth came crashing down. The kiss was wet and demanding and hungry. His tongue slid over hers, moving harder and deeper into her mouth. He buried his fingers in her hair, holding her head still while his tongue explored and tasted every inch. When he finally pulled away they were both panting.

The room was darker now, but she could see the arousal dilating his pupils and feel his warm breath on her face.  _I love you_. Veronica buried her fingers in his hair and pulled his mouth down for another kiss.

He slid his hand down to her breasts, rolling first one nipple and then the other between his fingers. Breaking the kiss, he replaced his fingers with his mouth. His tongue swirled around the tight peak. When he moved his mouth to her other breast, the coolness of the room after the hot dampness of his mouth made her shiver. Using his teeth, he gently tugged at her nipple before sucking it into his mouth.  _Wanton_. That was how he made her feel. Logan cupped her breasts and buried his face between them; his thumb and forefinger tweaking her sensitive nipples. He pressed his lips to her skin, "my turn," as his tongue slid down her stomach and circled her belly button, darting in and out of her navel.

Veronica dug her heels into the mattress and arched her hips. Logan's hands skimmed over her narrow ribcage, gripped the edges of her thong and tore it off; tossing it away. "Now," she demanded.

He chuckled, "patience Veronica."

"Patience? You're the one ripping…" Words abandoned her as his tongue slipped inside of her. He palmed her thighs and spread her legs wider. A moan ripped through her as he nipped and sucked at her; his tongue swirling around her clit. "Logan."

"You taste so good Veronica." His tongue moved deeper and her legs started to shake. He slid two fingers into her, "so wet." Using his thumb to circle her clit, he slid a third finger inside and crooked his middle finger, stroking and tapping the ridged flesh. His other hand brushed down her belly and pushed against her increasing the friction of his fingers.

Veronica bucked against his hand, her hips moving with the pace of his fingers. Her legs stiffened and she started to keen. He continued to stroke and suck drawing out her orgasm until her head began thrashing back and forth against the tangled sheets, " _Logan_ ," he withdrew his fingers and stuck them in his mouth. As he knelt on the bed, Veronica arched her hips.

Tiny waves of pleasure were still coursing through her body as he slammed all the way into her, pulled out and did it again. He moved harder and faster, pushing her body up the mattress. Veronica drew her knees up to her chest and Logan gripped her thighs. A string of words, " _fuck…yes…Veronica…love you…mine_ ," fell from his mouth as he continued to thrust into her staving off his own release, until her muscles tightening and clenching around him made him lose control.

Collapsing on top of her, he rolled them on their sides and held her close. Their ragged breathing was the only sound in the room. Her body felt languid and her eyes drifted closed. Logan stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.  _No time for napping, Veronica_.

"Are you sure that was included with the room and not an extra charge?" Without having to look, she knew he was smirking. "Sometimes they try to sneak hidden items onto your bill."

She raised her head, "you be sure to ask at the front desk when we check out."

"Oh trust me; I'll review the bill very carefully. I want to know exactly what it cost and if it was worth it." She bit his bottom lip and he growled, "play nice."

Her patented head tilt and innocent doe-eyes, "I thought you liked naughty Veronica."

He brushed his hand down her spine, over her ass and along her thigh, pulling her leg up around his waist. "I  _love_  naughty Veronica." Tugging her bottom lip into his mouth, he sucked on it and started to press her back down to the mattress. "Do you want me to show you how much?"

She kissed him, "I do, but we have to go home."

"Last time I checked there's a bed there too."

"And a baby," a slight push of his shoulder, "who happens to be there with my dad."

Logan sighed, "well that's a mood killer. Can you  _never_  mention your dad in bed again?" Twisting his torso away from her, he fumbled for the bedside lamp. It created a pool of light around the bed, but it wasn't bright enough for her to start searching for her clothes. She rolled off the mattress, crossed the room and hit the switch for the overheads.

She held up her torn thong, "guess someone's going commando."

Logan's gaze narrowed and he frowned, "what's that?"

"Evidence of  _your_  lack of patience."

He got up and circled around the bed. Gently lifting her arm, he smoothed his fingers over the dusky bruise, "I'm talking about this."

"I'll tell you about it when we get home."

"Who did this?" The anger was instant, spark to flame to raging fire. His touch was still tender, but his eyes were blazing. She knew this look well and it usually ended with punches being thrown. He repeated the question, "who did this?"

"Just let it go Logan. I'm okay and he's gone. He went back to Los Angeles." That wasn't a sufficient answer for him. He was waiting for a name. His gaze fell to her arm, fingers stroking the bruise and he softy kissed it. For a minute, she thought he would let it drop, but then his eyes met hers and she knew there was no getting around it. "Lowell Whitworth."

Logan let go of her arm and snatched his jeans from the floor, "what room number?"

"You can't just beat up anyone who hurts me."

The jeans fell from his fingers and he was back at her side, "did he hurt you? Aside from this," again his fingers stroked her arm, "did he do…are you okay?" Sitting on the edge of the bed, he pulled her between his knees, hands and eyes running over her body checking for himself that there were no other injuries.

"I'm fine Logan; let's just get dressed and go home." He hung his head, but not before she saw his sad downcast eyes. "Hey," she curled her fingers under his chin and raised his face, "what's wrong?"

"I think Dr. Feelgood would call it displacement or maybe it's transference," he smirked, "there's so many things wrong with me, it's hard to keep up with all the correct terminology."

_The correct terminology for that sentence is deflection_. She wanted to push the issue and make him explain himself, but she held back. Her lips brushed over his in a quick kiss, "go easy there, that's the man I love you're talking about." A flicker of surprise crossed his face. She tugged on her jeans and fastened them.

"Well, the man you love still wants to beat Whitworth's face in for touching you." Fists clenched, shoulders rigid and his mouth a thin, tight line.  _Fuming and disappointed_. She shook her head and tossed his jeans at him, "Are you sure he's gone?" Veronica nodded. Logan pointed to his boxers on the floor and she chucked them on the bed next to him.

He got up and dressed, controlled rage simmering under the surface. She wanted words to defuse the situation. Each time a thought occurred to her, she promptly rejected it as  _liable to make it worse_  or  _pushing him to talk before he's ready_.

Outside the room, he let her take his hand and gave her a fleeting smile. The psych degree helped provide her with the definitions:  _displaced aggression: directing your anger onto people with little or no connection to the cause of the anger and transference: redirection of your feelings from one person to another_ , but it did nothing to help her understand how they applied to Logan or this situation.

In the lobby, he disentangled their fingers and went to the front desk. The words  _room number_ ,  _Lowell Whitworth_  and  _checked out_  pulled her from her thoughts in time to see Logan slip cash across the counter to the clerk. As he walked back to her, his anger seemed to have dissipated, but his steps slowed at the look on her face. "It's not okay Veronica, what he did. No man has a right to put his hands on a woman and  _definitely_  not you." When she didn't say anything, he added, "I'm not wrong and you're not going to make me change my mind."

"I'm not trying to change your mind," she sighed, "did he check out?" He nodded and held the car door open for her. Veronica placed her hand on his arm, "I'm not mad. I just…I'm worried about you."

"Don't be." He kissed her nose and smoothed his fingers over her forehead, "I already have a beautiful girlfriend who worries about me too much."

"Girlfriend huh? I hope she doesn't mind what we just did up in your room."

"Nah, she's totally cool with it." Logan kissed her, "but if she comes after you with piano wire, I'd run."

Veronica grinned, "the things you remember."

"Not things,  _every_ thing." He shut the door and circled the hood to the driver's side. "I thought Mac was watching Wyatt. What's your dad doing there?"

"I needed her to look into some things for me." A surreptitious glance in his direction, "I'm going to start making calls about the clinic."

"I told you I would do it. Do you think it has anything to do with who killed Julie?"

"No, I don't so if you want to drop it…" He shook his head. She knew firsthand what could happen by digging into someone's past and once you learned something you could never unlearn it; like Mac and Madison or Jake and her mom or… _the list is too long Veronica_. She sighed.

When they pulled into the driveway, they could hear Wyatt screaming. The dashboard lights illuminated the panicky and distressed look that crossed over Logan's face and she chuckled. "What are you going to do when she's crying over a boy who broke her heart?"

His hands squeezed the steering wheel, "kill him."

"My dad didn't kill you."

"Fool." He slammed the car door shut and followed her into the house. No one looked very happy, least of all Wyatt; her little face was pinched and red. Keith was valiantly trying to rock and bounce her, but without success. Veronica could tell Logan wanted to swoop in and snatch her out of Keith's arms, but he restrained himself. Instead he held out his hands, "Daddy's turn."

After Keith passed him the baby, he cradled her against him and headed down the hall. The crying continued unabated. Keith cast a worried glance in that direction and turned back to Veronica, "do you need to go help him?"

"No, he's good at this. Just give it a few minutes." She frowned at Dottie, "are you going to rescind your ' _she's an angel'_  comment and refuse to babysit for me anymore?"

She laughed, "three boys, colic every single one of them. She's still an angel, but a very fussy one today."

"So tomorrow then?"

Dottie smiled, "give me a time." She glanced up at Keith who was still looking down the hall, "would you quit staring after them like they were the last lifeboat and you're on the Titanic?"

The tenor of Wyatt's crying was different now; a short burst of crying followed by silence and then another plaintive wail, back to quiet, like she was having a conversation with Logan. Veronica smiled. It never rattled him; the incessant crying or the sleepless nights, he remained calm and that calmness soothed Wyatt and her. "I'm going to order dinner, interested? I'm ordering from Luigis."

She shook her head, "your father promised me a night on the town; fine dining, dancing and a moonlit stroll."

Keith finally turned back to the conversation, "I believe my offer was pizza, bumper cars and a walk on the pier."

"Isn't that what I said?"

Dottie batted her eyes at him and Veronica laughed, "pizza and bumper cars Dad, really?"

He held out his hands and shrugged, "what can I say kiddo? I am what I am."

She felt the eye roll coming and caught herself just in time, "okay Popeye." She ducked into the kitchen to get the menu for Luigi's. Not really necessary for her since she was getting the manicotti, but it couldn't hurt to check out the options. She waved the paper menu at her dad. "Last chance for lots of carbs stuffed with gooey cheese."

Keith's smile faded and he frowned at her arm, "what happened?"

_Great, round two of overprotective male_. "You know how it is; asking questions, pushing buttons, all in a day's work." Logan returned with a pajama-clad Wyatt just in time for her explanation and her brain scrambled for a new subject before the two men in her life ganged up on her.  _Wyatt's bad timing? Definitely inherited from her daddy_. Turning to Dottie, Veronica gave her a brief hug, "thanks for babysitting. Noon tomorrow?"

The twinkle in the older woman's eyes said she knew exactly what Veronica was trying to accomplish- escape and she quickly took to her role as accomplice. "Noon is perfect. Now you should probably go feed Wyatt, there's not much milk left in the fridge." Dottie plucked the menu from her fingers, "I'll make sure Logan orders dinner, manicotti for you right?"

It was nice to not be outnumbered. "You're a lifesaver." She gave Keith a kiss goodbye and collected the baby.

Logan glanced at Keith, "why do I feel like we just got played?"

"Because we did, by two professionals."

Veronica flashed them both an innocent smile, started backing out of the room and curtsied before fleeing down the hall with the baby.


	23. CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

"Using our daughter to escape your dad's lecture, shame on you," Logan splayed his hands across her hips and kissed the back of her neck, "and you're not even feeding her."

"We were playing." As proof, Veronica wiggled the stuffed lamb making it chime. She turned her head and reached for him bringing their lips together for a kiss. "Watch her while I take a shower?"

Logan stole another quick kiss before stepping back so she could move out from between him and the bed. Wyatt was lying in the center of the mattress and he stretched out next to her. "Give me that lamb."

Veronica tossed it on the bed, a safe distance from the baby, but still in arm's reach for Logan. "I'll make it fast and then we can put our daughter to bed."

He smiled, "we haven't done that together in awhile."

"I know. I miss it." She rushed through her shower. It was easier to nurse Wyatt when she was content and Veronica didn't want her to start getting cranky while waiting for dinner. Running a quick comb through her hair, she wrapped herself in Logan's robe and went back to the bedroom.

Logan was slowly moving the lamb back and forth in front of Wyatt's face. Being able to track items with her eyes was the new stage of development and Logan was so impressed with this feat he watched her do it as often as he could. She leaned in the doorway to watch them. "I know you're standing there."

"I'm not exactly hiding."

"Don't let her fool you jellybean, Mommy was spying on us." He uncurled her fingers and pressed her palm to his lips for kisses. "I think she's ready to eat." Logan stuck his pinkie in her mouth and she immediately began to suck on it. "She looks like you especially when she's hungry; a little tiny Veronica," he smirked, "a tinier Veronica."

"You know the short jokes stopped being funny in…no wait, they were never funny."

"Then I think there's something wrong with your sense of humor, because I find them hilarious."

She climbed on the bed and lay down on the other side of Wyatt. "I think she has your cute, pouty mouth," Veronica ran her fingers over the baby's lips, "but thankfully she has my ears."

"Hey, what's wrong with my ears?"

She grinned. "It's okay sweetie, it's good to have some flaws, it makes you human."

"Comparing me to a mere mortal; now I know you're only trying to be mean because of the short jokes and my ears are perfect."

"If you say so." She scooped up Wyatt and waited for him to sit so she could nestle herself between his thighs. "Did you order dinner?"

"Yes  _dear_." Logan rested his hands on her shoulders and started to rub. "You feel tense." His hand moved up the base of her neck, massaging her spine and Veronica's head lolled forward. "Are you ready to tell me about Lowell Whitworth?"

_Are you?_  The words were right there and she swallowed them back down. "He lied to me. He said Max, one of the grips, checked the rigging that morning, but when I talked to Max….mmm, that feels good." His fingers were buried in her hair, massaging her scalp, while his thumbs kneaded the sides of her neck.

"Do you think Whitworth killed her?"

"No. I think it might be Kip Williams." She fell silent, enjoying the play of his hands across her neck and shoulders. "If you're trying to seduce me manicotti and back rubs are a good way to go."

"I don't think I need that much help."

"Are you saying I'm easy?" His hands stilled. "It's only a joke Logan." Tense silence filled the air and it was a long moment before his hands started to move again. "Both Lowell and Max told me Kip was working with the lights. Swapping a blonde for a Fresnel and adding a CTB?"

"Blondes are open faced lights so they put out more light than a Fresnel and a CTB is a gel, a blue film you put over the lights. You clip it on with a C47…a clothespin."

"Really they need a special name for a clothespin?"

She felt him shrug, "it sounds more professional to ask for a C47."

"I'm rolling my eyes now."

"Thanks for the visual update."

Veronica transferred a still-hungry Wyatt to her other breast and readjusted her position against Logan's chest. "Sam and Trina were discussing the scene change right within earshot of Kip, so he would know Julie was next in the pool."

"So definitely Julie and not Chad or Conner?"

"Logan. Who would want to kill such fine upstanding gentlemen as Chad and Conner?" Her sarcasm garnered a grunt from him.

He didn't ask if that was enough to get Trina out of jail because they both knew it wasn't. Lamb wasn't going to let Trina go with only her speculation as evidence. If it went to trial, her theories  _might_  provide reasonable doubt, but there were still too many things missing, like  _why_.

The doorbell rang and he maneuvered his way off the bed to get the food. Breastfeeding without back support was uncomfortable. One handed she tried repositioning the pillows to fill the gap left by Logan without jostling Wyatt and then abandoned the task. "We'll just wait for Daddy to come back."

The baby's eyelids were already starting to flutter, but each time they closed, she forced them open and stared at Veronica. She stroked Wyatt's head and began rocking. When Logan walked back in, she pressed her finger to her lips to silence whatever he was about to say. He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, dropping a kiss on her shoulder. It didn't take long for Wyatt to lose the fight against sleep. "I'll take her."

Once the baby was safely in his arms, she fell back on the bed and stretched out her back.  _Sleep sounds good_. She snuggled with the pillows and closed her eyes.  _Food sounds good too_. Veronica dragged herself out of bed, discarded Logan's robe and put on a pair of pink boy shorts and matching camisole. She met him in the hall coming out of the nursery. "Hey sailor, you come here often?"

He smiled, "as often as possible." Leaning on the wall next to her, he fingered the strap of her camisole, "what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"Looking for Mr. Right."

His finger traced the lacy edge of her top, "you should be careful. There are a lot of unsavory men who might take advantage of you."

She ran her hand down his arm, "ooh my favorite type." Veronica pressed her body against his, "are you going to take advantage of me now?"

"No," he shook his head, "but I will feed you."

"My hero," she batted her eyes at him. He kissed her forehead, slid his hand down her arm and twined their fingers together for the walk to the kitchen. Her eyes widened when she saw the amount of food spread out on the table, "how much did you order?"

He shrugged, "enough for an entire squadron or one Veronica." She elbowed his side. "You didn't eat much at lunch."

"Because  _somebody_ spilled my fries all over the bed." They unpacked the food together. In addition to a double order of manicotti, he got an order of meatballs and sausage, stuffed mushrooms, Caesar salad, and garlic bread and for dessert chocolate cannoli. "Where's yours?"

"This is mine. Don't worry I'll save you some scraps." He got two forks and handed one to her. "Is Dottie really coming to babysit tomorrow or was that only part of your ruse?"

With a thick Spanish accent she asked, "what is this word ruse? I no, how you say, understand?"

"Can you do that in bed later?" He closed his eyes, "mmm, it will be like sleeping with Sofia Vergara." He drew his hands through the air making a curvy outline and she poked him with her fork. "If you switch back and forth between voices, it can be a threesome."

"Okay." His fork paused mid-air and she smiled. "I can put on a wig; wear some really high heels and maybe that schoolgirl uniform too." Logan started packing up dinner and she laughed. "Not so fast, I'm not done eating."

His eyes narrowed, "did I just get played again?"

"Maybe, we'll just have to see… _later_." She took another bite of her manicotti. "Dottie is really babysitting tomorrow; she'll be here at noon."

"Why so late?"

"I have some stops to make in the morning and then I'll come back to get you."

His gaze fell to her bruised arm, "what stops?"

"Mac is going to delay the checkout at the Grand so I can talk to the cast. Really, I just want to talk to Frank Santiago, Julie's other lover? Boyfriend? And then I need to stop at the office." His expression was grim, but he didn't argue with her. She popped the last stuffed mushroom in her mouth. "Lowell said Julie had a plan and he was helping her until she double crossed him."

"What sort of plan?"

"That's what we're going to find out tomorrow." He arched a brow at her, "a wise master does not reveal all her secrets at once. In due time, my apprentice." She grinned and leaned back in her chair to pat her tummy, "I'm stuffed."

"So no dessert then?"

"Logan, there's always room for dessert."

"That's funny I didn't think we were having jello."

Veronica packed up the remains from dinner and put them in the fridge. "You make coffee, I'll bring dessert and we'll meet in the war room." She grabbed the container of cannolis and headed for the dining room. By the time Logan joined her; she'd dumped the contents of the box from Norris on the table and was poking through the papers feeling a tug of disappointment. "I was hoping Norris would send me some crime scene seals." Logan arched a brow at her, "so I could check through Lilly's room…Julie's stuff."

"And you were planning on using the front door? Lilly would be so disappointed in you." In a perfect imitation of Lilly down to the jaunty head tilt, mischievous glint in the eye and devious smile, he said, "where's your sense of adventure Veronica Mars?"

She laughed, "that was pretty good."

"Pretty good? That was spot on perfect." He dropped into the dining room chair.

It  _was_  perfect and he was right Lilly wouldn't be satisfied with merely trespassing at a crime scene; no, Lilly would want to increase the risk of getting caught.  _With all the sneaking in and out of the Kane mansion, Logan and I probably know that house better than the current owners._  She eyed Logan; he was going to make a great accomplice for this little trip of B&E. She thought about the last time they helped break Lilly out of a Celeste-imposed house arrest, the summer before…"Do you remember the time the three of us went clothes shopping?"

He rolled his eyes, "I seem to recall being designated purse holder for numerous trips to the mall."

"This was the time we went for bathing suits."

His eyes closed and a slow smile spread across his mouth. A murmured,  _mmm_ , told her he remembered exactly the day she was talking about. "Lilly was in the fitting room with you." His tongue wet his bottom lip and Veronica's smile wavered.  _He's thinking about Lilly_. She shook her head. That was the point of this entire conversation, being able to talk about her and share their memories.

"She asked me that same question," she put her hands on her hips and flounced onto a chair, "where's your sense of adventure Veronica Mars?"

Logan laughed, "and then the words you could never resist, I dare you." He groaned, "then you stepped out in the skimpiest bikini I'd ever seen, all strings and strategic little squares of black fabric." He snapped to attention and his eyes popped open, "do you still have that?"

The corner of her mouth curved with a hint of a smile. "I can't believe you remember what I was wearing."

A completely serious tone, "Veronica I thought about you in that suit nightly for  _weeks_. Jesus, you were so hot, all sex and innocence and daring."

She frowned, "sure. That's why you looked at Lilly and said, gee Lil I didn't realize we were in the boys department."

"I desperately needed you to put clothes on," he smirked, "and it worked too."

It certainly had. She'd turned on her heel, stormed into the dressing room and pulled her clothes on in record time; Lilly's laughter trailing behind her. She was so embarrassed and completely pissed when she found out that Lilly bought the bikini for her. "I never wore it again."

"I'm sorry Veronica." He actually sounded contrite. "God Lilly could be such a bitch, she knew seeing you in that suit would fry every circuit in my brain." At her disbelieving stare, he added, "she knew I had a thing for you. We talked about it sometimes."

Her eyes narrowed, "talked about how?"

" _Lilly_  talked. Leave her for Donut you wicked boy, you know you're not good enough for her." This time his impersonation started out with the right inflection and tone, but when he got to the  _good enough_  part he faltered.

She held his gaze, "she was wrong."

His eyes slipped away first, "maybe." He shook his head, "Lilly liked to stir the pot. Most of the times it was fun, crazy even. Pissing off our parents, doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. It was… _life_  was a game, to hell with the consequences. But when we would split up, there was an edge to it, sometimes she played dirty."

"The other guys?"

"Yeah that…and you. Like that little dare in the fitting room was to torture me." She scowled at him and he shrugged. "Don't believe me, but it's true. She got a kick out of reminding me what I couldn't have."

"Logan, I don't think…"

"You didn't date her Veronica." He frowned, "you really don't know? Before Lilly and I ever started dating I had a crush on  _you_  and of course idiot that I am, I told her."

"What about Lilly?"

"What about her? She was a year older than us and my best friend's sister; I certainly didn't think that would ever happen." He shrugged again, "and then a few months later it did."

"And you never looked back."

"You were a better fit with Duncan and I was a better fit with Lilly…at least back then."

"So when you and Lilly would split up, she would use me to torture you?"

"Okay torture is extreme. It was more like a reminder of my station in life." He pointed at her, "you, good girl. Me," he pointed to himself, "bad boy." He sighed, "it was her demonstrating that you were too innocent and sweet for the likes of me and I needed to stick with Lilly or girls like her. I don't think she was being mean, I think in her way she was protecting you."

_It sounds mean to me._  "You don't have to sugarcoat Lilly for me Logan."

"I'm not. She loved you."

Veronica curled up in his lap, "she loved you too you know."

"In her own crazy Lilly way." He kissed her temple before resting his head on hers and pulling her closer. "She would've kicked my ass for the way I treated you after she died."

She smiled, "probably." His body went rigid beneath her and he pulled away, his arms dropping back to his sides. "What's wrong?"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I didn't know Veronica. When I declared open season on Veronica Mars in the halls of Neptune High, I didn't know what would happen to you."

She searched his face; it was a blank mask and his eyes were focused past her shoulder, refusing to meet her gaze. "I know that."

"I hate myself for that, for what happened to you at Shelly's party." He picked her up, put her back in her own chair and got up, putting more space between them. "I failed to protect you when you needed me the most. Like my mother, Lilly."

"It wasn't your job to protect your mother; it was her job to protect  _you_." She got up and tried to close the gap between them, but he took another step back, "none of it was your fault Logan."

"If I knew what was going to happen to you…that Beaver was going to rape you. I wouldn't have left you at that party. No matter how angry I was, I wouldn't have left you." She nodded. "Do you know that, really?"

Veronica grabbed both of his arms to stop his pacing and met his eyes. "Yes…I didn't think it was you. That year, when I didn't know? I never thought it was you. The Logan I knew,  _my friend_ , would've never done something like that. So when Tad told me you brought the GHB to the party, I…I went a little crazy. I doubted  _myself_ , doubted the faith I put in you, but when I saw your face…I knew…I'm so sorry I ever accused you."

"When someone hurts you…I lose control. It's not about wanting….looking for a reason to get in a fight…it's that I take my anger at myself for failing you and I turn it outward. I beat up someone else simply because I can't beat up myself."

"I think you're doing a pretty great job at beating yourself up." She wrapped her arms around him, "is this what you meant with your comment about displacement and transference?" He gave her a slight nod. The anger wasn't at Aaron; it was at himself for not protecting her. "I shouldn't have taken that drink from Madison."

" _No_ ," his voice was low, but vehement. He gripped her shoulders, "none of it was your fault. You are not to blame for what happened to you."

"And neither are you. You didn't give me the drugs, you didn't leave me in that room and it wasn't your job to watch over me."

"God Veronica," he dropped into the chair and cradled his head in his hands. "I love you and I'm so sorry."

Veronica knelt on the floor in front of him, "look at me." He raised his face, "I don't blame you. It wasn't your fault.  _Please_  let this go and stop hating yourself."

"I'm trying." She crawled back onto his lap and wound her arms around his neck. "All that summer, after…Beaver, I wanted to talk to you, but you just wanted to pretend like it didn't happen and I didn't know how…I thought when you were ready…"

"I didn't want to talk to you. If I talked to you, I thought you'd look at me like I was damaged."

He groaned, "never…I could never…you are beautiful and perfect." Logan cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss so tender Veronica couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "I love you so much Veronica. You are my life. You and Wyatt. Every day I'm amazed that you're here with me, that you love me."

"I do, love you."


	24. CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Wyatt's tiny whimpers through the baby monitor pulled her from sleep. Veronica lowered the volume and slipped from bed, careful not to disturb Logan. After their talk last night, they'd gone to bed. Neither of them wanted to talk about the case, Trina, their plans for tomorrow, or the past. Instead they lay awake, holding each other.

When Wyatt woke for her midnight feeding, they did it together and after she was back in her crib, they made love. It was slow and tender, using their bodies to communicate all the love and comfort and forgiveness they couldn't express with words alone. She felt lighter this morning. There was a peace like they'd finally stripped away the last remaining barrier between them.  _Slow down Veronica, it's still you and Logan; it's not going to be all sunshine and kittens, puppies and rainbows_. She grinned.

She changed Wyatt and carried her into the kitchen. "What do you think sweet pea, breakfast by the pool?" Veronica made herself a cup of decaf coffee and found her hidden stash of pop tarts. She put Wyatt in her bouncer and carried her breakfast and cell phone out to the deck before returning to get the baby. "We can eat together."

Adjusting the back of the double chaise lounge, in case Logan decided to join her, she settled on the thick cushions and took Wyatt out of her bouncer. "Mommy probably should've opened the pool first, if we wanted a better view."

She took a bite of her pop tart, returned it to the plate and used her cell to call Barry Randall. Logan telling her he would make the calls regarding the clinic, didn't mean she couldn't make a few herself. There was a short wait on hold before he picked up the line, "Veronica, how can I help you?

She'd never met or spoken with Barry before and his easy familiarity threw her. "If you have some time, I wanted to ask you a few questions…"

"Is this about adding Wyatt to the trust? Because Logan already took care of that after she was born." Veronica smiled.  _Of course he did. See Conner, that's how it's done_. "His Will was updated too. Unless you're calling about your own Will?"

"No, I…" her eyes fell to Wyatt, "I don't have a Will."

"We could always schedule an appointment for you to come in. Will, Power of Attorney, Health Care Directive, Guardians for Wyatt in case you become incapacitated."

The more he talked the tighter her throat closed _. Logan's Will, her Will, guardians for Wyatt_. She needed to make him stop. "No, I was calling about Trina."

"Oh, I don't handle criminal law, but I can refer you …"

"We already have an attorney for Trina, but thank you." She launched right into her prepared story, "The reason for my call is a friend of mine is having…issues," Veronica co-opted Nancy's word for it, "and Trina recommended the clinic she went to Kleine Schritte?" Barry responded with an ' _mmm hmm_.'  _Either he knows the clinic or he's just prompting me to continue_. "Anyway, as I'm sure you know, she needs a referral and a code in order to call them and well, Trina isn't really available…" she let her voice trail off and waited.

"This friend of yours…"

"Amber," Veronica helpfully supplied.

"Amber. Do you know her…situation?"

She wasn't sure if he was asking whether she knew what  _problem_  Amber was having or if she could  _afford_  to pay for the clinic. "Trina definitely thought it would be the perfect place for her." It was vague enough to satisfy either intent.

"And Trina told you I referred her there?"

"Well, no, but you've been their family attorney for so long, I just thought…"

"I'll make some calls for you Veronica. Where can I reach you?" She gave him her cell number and he said he'd be in touch within the next day or two. After thanking him and promising to schedule an appointment to discuss her Will, she disconnected the call and tossed her phone back on the table.

Choosing to say Trina recommended Kleine Schritte prevented her from asking questions about the clinic itself, but it was easier to get someone to divulge a secret when they thought you already knew what it was.

She heard the snick of the patio door opening and turned her head. Logan rushed onto the deck like the house was on fire. The profound relief on his face when he saw them made Veronica's smile fade. "I woke up and…" he dragged a hand over his head, "you were both gone."

_You and Logan, still plenty of issues to go around_. "We're having breakfast." She nodded toward her coffee and pop tarts, "want to join us?" He nodded mutely, turned toward the house and then hesitated; afraid that if he left they would disappear. "Feet stuck?" Her question snapped him out of his indecision and he went back inside. His fear was rekindled because of last night; both the conversation and the intimacy.  _This was about the time when I would normally run; everything too intense and real_. Veronica sighed. "What are we going to do about Daddy?"

Their conversation was something they'd been dancing around for days.  _Don't lie to yourself; it's something you've both been avoiding for years._  His admission about his overwhelming need to protect her and his remorse for the past made her hurt. Not just for her, but for him, for his agony over it. She wanted to make it better and when she asked; ' _what can I do?_ ' His response was quick,  _'Come see Dr. Feelgood with me.'_  Last night, she gave him the only answer she could, ' _okay_ ,' but this morning she was already thinking of ways to avoid the therapy appointment. Until she saw his face when he thought she left and took Wyatt.

When Logan returned he was carrying a breakfast tray. "You can't just eat pop tarts."

"But I  _like_  pop tarts."

"I like scotch and sex, but it doesn't mean I'm having either of them for breakfast,  _unless_ …." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

She smiled and shook her head. He set the tray down next to her; oatmeal, cantaloupe halves filled with cottage cheese, whole wheat toast, and orange juice. "This all looks way too healthy for me. Artificial coloring, high fructose corn syrup and preservatives are essential parts of my diet."

"Then try this," he pushed the oatmeal closer and held his arms out for the baby. Veronica passed her to him and frowned at the bowl of oatmeal. "Don't you trust me?"

Stifling her sigh, she took a spoonful. The oatmeal was sprinkled with warm, soft chocolate chips, slivers of almonds and the taste of bananas. She took another mouthful. "You're going to spoil me."

"That's the plan."

"Oh you have plans for me do you?" She sucked the oatmeal off her spoon.

A sexy half smile curved his mouth and his eyes turned warm and gooey like the chocolate chips in her oatmeal. "And they end with you breathless and panting."

She frowned, "we're going to go running too? Are you trying to get me in shape?"

His gaze moved over her body, "I can think of plenty of shapes I'd like to bend you into. There's this one shape; a v like Veronica," his tongue undulated each syllable of her name; his voice low and gravelly, "and it involves the edge of a table; a  _very_  sturdy table."

"Logan." It was half admonishment, half sigh.

His delighted laughter sent shivers racing across her hot flesh. "I love when you turn that pretty shade of pink."

"Right," she put the bowl back on the tray, "time to get ready." She climbed out of the chaise and started for the house, Logan right behind her. Turning around, she put her hand on his chest, "you stay out here."

He pouted, "I could wash your back?"

Veronica looked down at Wyatt cradled in the crook of his arm; content, gurgling and wide awake. "I'll wash my own back and you can get our daughter dressed."

"You have no idea what you're missing."

_Yes, I do, that's the problem_. In the bedroom, she selected another pair of black skinny jeans along with a black and white striped shirt. Heading for the shower, she tried to keep her mind on the day ahead and not the  _sturdy table_  image Logan planted in her head, but her brain kept wandering.  _He certainly has a way with words_.  _Yeah, words_. She lingered in the shower.  _Neptune Grand to talk to Frank…v like Veronica…then to the office to get the background check on Kip…sturdy table…home … Logan_.

She toweled off; did her hair and makeup and then got dressed. On her way to the living room she saw Dottie in the kitchen with Wyatt and detoured, "where's Logan?"

"He left." She glanced up and saw Veronica's expression, "he called me and asked me to come early. Didn't he…obviously, he didn't tell you."

"Did he say where he was going?" The possibilities mushroomed through her brain.  _Please don't be going to Los Angeles to find Lowell Whitworth_.

Dottie was frowning at her. "He wanted me to tell you he'd meet you later and that he'd call first." She gave Wyatt her pacifier and set her in the bouncer. "Is everything okay?"

_I thought so_. "I'm just thinking about cars."  _Liar_. "I guess I'll move the car seat…"

The skeptical look on Dottie's face said she wasn't buying Veronica's explanation. "No need. Logan took my car, so you could use his and leave me yours."

She nodded. "Did he seem…was he mad?"

"No." Dottie smiled, "he actually looked really happy; happier than I've seen him in a long time. But having you around seems to have that effect on him." She gently squeezed Veronica's arm, "I'm sure he's fine. I wouldn't worry about him."

Forcing a smile for Dottie's benefit, she crossed to Wyatt and gave the baby goodbye kisses. "I won't be gone long, few hours at most."

"Take your time. If Grandpa locates his witness early enough, we're going to meet him for lunch and maybe walk around the Birch Aquarium."

"Call me if you do that. If we're done, Logan and I will meet you there." She loved watching the feedings at the tide pool. "And don't forget to take pictures."

Dottie's easy, melodic laughter followed Veronica from the house. She slid behind the wheel of the BMW and tried not to think about Logan. His sudden disappearance with no discussion of his plans made her nervous. She gnawed her bottom lip.  _Maybe he just needed a little time to himself_.

The drive to the Grand was slow. The roads were congested and blaring horns were the soundtrack of aggravated and frustrated drivers, but their annoyance paled in comparison to the line of people in the lobby of the hotel. Four clerks were busy tapping away on their computer keyboards and the complaints ranged from  _I didn't order room service_  to  _what do you mean I'm not registered_  and a disgruntled  _I don't watch porn_. She grinned. Apparently, Mac found a way to entertain herself this morning. Veronica pulled out her phone to catch some video of the porn argument to show Mac later. A notification said she missed a text:  _Miss me, v for Veronica? Went to see Dr. Feelgood, will call you later. Love you._ Her relief was instantaneous.

There was no sign of Frank in the lobby, but there were one or two faces she recognized from the movie and Conner was slumped low in one of the chairs trying not to be seen while waiting for an opportunity to check out. She wasn't necessarily surprised that he was going to leave town while his girlfriend was in jail, but it did make her feel bad for Trina. She headed for the elevators.  _Logan would never leave me_.

Frank was on the same floor as Trina. She glanced at her door as she walked down the hall to Frank's room and knocked. Frank Santiago was an extremely good looking man; firm, square jaw, high pronounced cheekbones and deep brown eyes flecked with gold. Those same eyes were red rimmed and slightly puffy. Coupled with his unshaven face and rumpled appearance they told the story of a very late night, possibly spent with alcohol. "You're not the bellhop."

"No, but if you were planning on checking out, you might consider waiting. The lobby is a madhouse; I think they're having problems with the computers." He nodded and waited. "I'm investigating Julie's…."

He cut her off, "you're working for Trina's lawyer right?"  _Gossip does spread like germs through this cast_. "Do you think she did it?"

It seemed like an odd question to ask. Defense lawyers definitely had their opinions as to guilt or innocence, but they would never voice them and neither would their staff. She sidestepped the question by asking one of her own, "would you mind if I came in?"

He pulled the door wider and stepped back. Veronica felt herself subconsciously raising her hand to the bruise on her arm and hesitated on the threshold. She shook off the paranoia and entered the suite. He was ready to go; his luggage was stacked in the corner, waiting for the bellhop and a plane ticket, keys and cash were on the coffee table. There were also two room key cards.  _Hmm_. "Do you want a drink?"

"No thanks." Without waiting for an invitation, Veronica took the seat closest to the coffee table.

Frank moved to the full bar and fixed himself a scotch and soda unconcerned with the early hour.  _Hair of the dog_. "I don't think she did it." He stirred the ice in his glass with a long finger. "I loved her. Julie, I mean. She could be…well,  _Julie_ , but there was a sweet side to her." Veronica didn't say anything; letting him talk to fill the silence. He gulped down his drink and fixed another one, a double. "Her and Trina didn't get along, but only because they didn't agree on the movie. Trina wouldn't have killed her for that."

She offered a sympathetic nod, but Frank was staring at his drink. "Tell me about Julie and Lowell Whitworth."

His head jerked up, "was she sleeping with him too?"

_Ouch_. "No, but I was under the impression they were working together?"

A deep frown creased his brow and he took another long swallow. "Oh, you mean on Blood Lilly?" Veronica played along and nodded. "Lowell was putting the crew together. Do you think he killed her?"

"Do you?"

"No." Tears welled in his eyes and he blinked them away. "He was mad at her, but he's been friends with her dad for years. They worked on  _American Grace_  together. I think Julie's dad was nominated for an Oscar for that. Lowell wouldn't hurt her."

_Julie sweet and Lowell unable to hurt Julie; obviously, Frank is not a good judge of character_. "Why was he mad?"

"I'm not really sure." He shrugged. "Julie was up to something. She was  _always_  up to something." A sad smile, "she seemed to think Trina would sell her the script for Blood Lilly. She wanted me to play Beetle?"

Veronica automatically corrected him, "Weevil."

"Right." His eyes lit up as something occurred to him, "you're Veronica Mars; Lilly Kane's best friend. Aren't you dating her boyfriend, Trina's brother?"

_Her boyfriend_. "So you don't know what Julie and Lowell were fighting about?"

"The financing I think. Lowell wanted to take it back to the studio and Julie had other plans. I think she wanted to do it independently, be the one in charge, like Trina, but…better." Frank's chagrin at the use of the word  _better_  was clear. "I don't really know. All I know is she told him he was out."

"How did Julie plan on paying for the movie?" The last trust accounting Logan received showed investments totaling close to seventy five million dollars. Granted he didn't touch any of the principal and he didn't have a spending spree through Europe, but even subtracting out accumulated interest, Trina had to have inherited an amount in the same range and she'd invested it all in this movie.  _Was Julie rich enough to finance a movie on her own?_

"She had the money to purchase the script and she'd lined up investors."

"Any idea who?"

Frank turned back to the bar to fix himself another scotch and Veronica slipped his key card into her purse. "A publishing house, the ones that had that book about the case? I think they were interested." He took a step toward her and then decided to stay close to the bar. "Maybe some private investors? Julie knew a lot of people."

"Were you helping Julie with her plan?"

"I didn't care about Julie's plans. I didn't even want to be in the movie. I only cared about  _her_." He finished his drink, "I knew she was sleeping with Chad and Conner, but she told me they didn't matter. She  _loved_  me."

_This was all starting to sound too familiar_. "Did Julie know Kip Williams?" At his blank look, she added, "the gaffer."

"Julie didn't really socialize with the crew," the way he said socialize easily translated to: Julie thought the crew was beneath her, "and, what's his name? Kip? He's new; didn't really hang out with anyone on set." Another shrug, "what does this have to do with her death?"

Instead of answering, Veronica stood. "I guess that's it. I'm very sorry for your loss."

"Will you tell me what you find? In your investigation." Veronica nodded. "Here let me give you my private number." He was a little unsteady on his feet, but he made it over to the desk and scrawled his number on a piece of Neptune Grand stationary. When he crossed the room to hand it to her, he bumped into the chair. His, "I'm not a big drinker," was more of an apology than an excuse.

She tucked the phone number into her purse. "I'll call you when I know something." He raised his empty glass in acknowledgment of her statement and then, realizing it was empty, headed back to the bar. Once his back was turned, Veronica left the room.

The lobby was still in chaos and she used it to her advantage. She marched to the front desk, "Jeff Ratner told me you would take care of this for me right now." Slamming the stolen key card on the desk, she impatiently clicked her fingernails on the marble counter.

"Hey lady I was next." Veronica glared at the sunburned tourist until he shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts and took a step back.

"What seems to be the problem Miss…"

"The  _problem_ ," her eyes flicked to the clerk's name tag, " _Melissa_ , is that my key won't open my room." Veronica twisted her features into the look of haughty disdain she'd memorized from Celeste Kane, "and I need it recoded  _now_."

"Our computers have been…"

She cut off Melissa's excuse, "fix it. I'm in room nine fifteen. Or do I have to call Jeff?"

The pale redhead managed to keep her professional demeanor, but Veronica could see the anger flashing in her green eyes and she banged the computer keys a little harder than necessary. Melissa picked up the key card, ran it through a scanner and held it out for Veronica. She plucked it from her fingers without a thank you and sauntered back to the elevators.

The room was still a mess, but she didn't know how much was Trina's fault and how much blame rested with the Sheriff's Department. If they were at all competent during their search, Veronica chuckled to herself; they would've taken everything regarding the movie.  _Luckily that's not why I'm here_.

She started with the desk. All the drawers were empty, their contents dumped on the writing surface. Veronica picked up a pen and pushed the papers around. A menu from the Chinese food place where Trina ordered their dinner with a note in the margin that read ' _no shellfish'_ ; a piece of paper with Logan's cell number and their address and a business card for a local spa, were the only personal items in the pile. Clothes were strewn about the room, but nothing else of any interest. Veronica moved on to the bedroom.

The room safe was open and empty. Piles of clothes were on the bed. Veronica assumed they were from the dresser drawers, but she opened each one to confirm and found them bare. Unlike the searches last year when they were investigating her, the Sheriff didn't inflict any damage to hotel property; each drawer was neatly put back in its place.  _Guess Lamb really doesn't like me, who knew?_

A quick search of the bed revealed only more clothes. The bathroom was full of makeup, hair products, lotions, and creams. There was a prescription bottle for Xanax, a benzodiazepine for anxiety and panic disorders, which was half full and another bottle for Ambien, to help Trina sleep, which was almost empty. Both were written in Trina's name and the prescribing doctor was Karl Schlusser. There was no other information about the doctor, but Veronica guessed he was probably from Los Angeles. A pharmacy in the United States wasn't going to fill a prescription from Switzerland. Veronica frowned.

She went back to the bedroom and pulled open the closets. A matching set of Louis Vuitton luggage that cost more than Mars Investigations made last month was stacked on the floor. Veronica pulled them out of the closet and went through each piece. In the zippered side of the Pégase rolling case she found a phone book. There was nothing listed under Kleine Schritte.  _She probably has a quirky nickname for her therapist just like her brother_. She started at the beginning of the alphabet and went page by page.

When she got to "L" she paused. There were two pages devoted entirely to Logan. Trina kept track of him throughout their entire ten year separation. Some of the addresses she could figure out; college, AOCS, Carrie's house, Dick's house, but some of them were complete mysteries. The temptation to take the entire book with her was hard to resist. She flipped through the rest of the pages. Written inside the back cover were the initials KS with an overseas phone number followed by six digits 330508.


	25. CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

There was a nine hour time difference between California and Switzerland.  _Too late to call the clinic now_. Veronica put the address book away and pushed the luggage back in the closet. It was time to share her suspicions with Logan, but she didn't know how to tell him and honestly she didn't  _want_  to tell him.  _Would it be better coming from me or if he found out on his own?_  She'd tried to convince him to let it go, but he seemed determined to see this through and how many phone calls would it take before he learned what kind of therapy Kleine Schritte offered; one, two?

The crowd in the lobby was gone and so was Conner. It appeared to be business as usual at the front desk. Veronica retrieved her car from the valet and headed for the office with thoughts of Trina, Logan, and Aaron to keep her company. Not just thoughts, the same thoughts she'd been trying to avoid. Logan's dig about Trina's sexual promiscuity made that day at the Sunset Regent,  _yeah, well to be fair when didn't you have a boy over_. Him standing in her office asking for help to find Dylan Goran,  _Trina's leech-of-the-week boyfriend_ … _he beat her up;_ Trina taken advantage of and abused.

Veronica stopped for coffee for Mac. The shop was next to an In-N-Out, but the smell and the thought of food roiled her stomach.  _No lunch today_.

When she arrived at the office, Mac was behind her desk and she grinned the minute she saw Veronica. "How did it go at the Grand?"

"It was pretty quiet. Boring really." She put the coffee on her desk, "I don't think you even deserve this latte." Mac was studying her face for any hint of sarcasm. Veronica kept her features placid until Mac actually started to look worried and then she smiled. "I love it when a plan comes together." She cued up the video on her cell and handed it to Mac.

Her face lit up with glee at the video footage, "I almost tapped in to the security feed, so I could watch it myself. Now I'm sorry I didn't." She gave her back the phone. "Were you able to talk to everyone?"

"Everyone I wanted." Before putting her phone away, Veronica sent Logan a text:  _meet me at the office when you're ready_. "Did you get the information on Kip Williams?"

"It's on your desk." She shuffled through the files in front of her, opened one and pulled out a sheet of paper; her expression turned sour. "That original million dollar deposit into Clarence Wiedman's personal account? I found the source." She was staring at the page, not saying anything.

"Well don't leave me in suspense." Mac gave it to her. It was a copy of a wire transfer dated October 3, 2006, one million dollars to Clarence Wiedman from Duncan Kane. "Why would Duncan…" Veronica stopped talking. She folded the piece of paper and put it in her purse. "What about Julie's financials?"

Mac had been her friend long enough to not question the change of subject, "also on your desk."

"Great, thanks." She wandered into her office, dropped her purse on the desk and herself into the chair. It was all swirling around her head: the case, Trina, Kleine Schritte, talking to Logan, breaking in to the crime scene, Duncan, 2006; she didn't know where to start. Veronica booted up the computer and found the file on Kip and the financials for Julie.

Julie's credit report was stellar. All her bills were paid on time and her score was high. Tax returns showed she owned an apartment in Manhattan, a house in Los Angeles, and a pied-à-terre in Paris. Income for last year included the money she was paid by Echo Films for starring in the movie and interest earned from various investment accounts. She wasn't poor, but she didn't have the resources to finance an entire film on her own. Unless she was willing to make a small budget picture, but somehow Veronica didn't think the words  _Julie Hanson_  and  _small budget_  went together.

She skimmed the credit card statements. All the charges were…she couldn't use the word normal…two thousand dollars at Hermes, weekly charges at the Spa at the Beverly Wilshire, nine hundred dollars at Christian Louboutin, five thousand dollars at Dolce & Gabbana. Veronica put them away and picked up the bank statements. The automatic payments and withdrawals were for more relatable items; phone bills both home and cell, insurance, union dues, and Porcellian Security.

The computer was up and running. She tossed the bank statement on her desk and went to Google; typing in the words, adult manifestations of childhood abuse. There were about 322,000 results. The links all had titles like the long shadow of abuse, the lingering trauma, survival, support, impact, warning signs. She clicked on a link from Psychology Today and started reading. Each link was more depressing than the previous one and after the tenth article she couldn't read anymore. She copied and pasted the two most relevant links into an email and sent it to herself for later.

She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.  _Cigarette burns and broken noses_. "Bastard," the word hissed from her mouth and she shook her head. It didn't even come close.  _A bullet to the brain was better than he deserved_. She suddenly had the urge to call her dad. He picked up on the first ring and his  _Keith Mars_  sounded rushed. Veronica bit her lip, "busy?"

"Never too busy for you." Now that he was on the phone, she didn't know what she wanted to say,  _thanks for being a great dad_ ,  _thanks for not being an abusive fuck_ ,  _thanks for loving me_. "What's wrong Veronica?"

"Nothing…I just wanted to tell you I love you."

"Music to my ears." The words were sweet, but the worry was evident. "Are you sure you're okay honey?"

"I'm fine; having a bad day and thinking we need some daddy daughter time. Got any escaped fugitives we could track down or cheating spouses to spy on?"

"No, but we could always go to the zoo?"

She laughed, "you and the zoo. Do all the wild animals bring out the primal male need to hunt?"

"Now Veronica, you know it's that I like to make faces at the monkeys and eat funnel cake." She smiled. "Maybe we can bring my beautiful granddaughter with us. Unlike her mother, she won't try to steal my ice cream."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Logan thinks her eyes glaze over anytime you mention something with sugar."

"That doesn't surprise me at all." His voice softened, "I love you kiddo."

"I love you too." She shut off the computer and pulled the file for Kip Williams closer. "Did you find your witness?"

"At a bar across the border."

She felt a sharp stab of disappointment at his location, "so no lunch and aquarium?"

"I could come home right now if you need me to." And he would too. No questions asked. He would drop everything and put her first.

"No, Logan's meeting me at the office and we're going to spend the afternoon together." She conveniently left off the part about breaking the law and unpleasant conversations. Better that he picture an idyllic afternoon of happy couple time. "I'll call you tomorrow and we'll make plans for the zoo."

"Let's bring Logan with us so you can steal  _his_  ice cream."

She hmphed, "I'll have you know, I don't need to  _steal_  his ice cream, he happily turns it over to me."

"A man in love will do many dumb things, including surrender his ice cream."

Veronica rolled her eyes, "a man in love huh? What about you? Have you been giving up the ice cream lately? Maybe to someone we both know?"

"Did you just say you have to go?" She could hear the smile in his voice and an answering one spread across her face. "You have a good afternoon with Logan, honey, but you make sure you call me tomorrow and I mean it Veronica, I want a phone call."

"I promise."

"Who's your daddy?"

"You are." Veronica hung up in a considerably better mood.

She turned her attention to Kip Williams. His financials were a lot less impressive than Julie. His credit report showed a few delinquencies and a couple of credit cards were marked "settled for less than owed." The bank statements were as boring as his tax returns. His occupation on the most recent return was listed as gaffer and made her think of Frank's words  _he's new, didn't really hang out with anyone on set_. He wasn't new to  _this_  movie. According to the paperwork Trina gave her, Kip was hired at the start along with the rest of the crew. Veronica flipped through the previous tax returns. Occupation: gaffer, occupation: electrician, occupation: security guard. She searched through the file for his W2 statements.

Her fingers stilled and she picked up Julie's bank statements again. When she saw the transactions for Porcellian Security, she'd assumed they were payments for Julie's security detail. The weekly amount of five thousand dollars wasn't a lot of money for round-the-clock protection. Rumor had it that Britney Spears spent half a million dollars a year on security and 50Cent closer to a million. Julie Hanson didn't have their level of fame so five grand a week didn't seem unusual. No, the problem wasn't the amount, it was that they weren't automatic  _withdrawals_ , they were weekly  _deposits_.

"Prison stripes? That doesn't fill me with confidence for our afternoon caper." Logan was lounging in the doorway. Veronica frowned in confusion at his statement and he pointed at her black and white striped shirt. "Should I put our attorney on speed dial?"

"You mean he isn't already?"

"Number one with a bullet." He started across the room, "now here is plan." His Russian accent was terrible, "pogarogapogadog."

Veronica grinned and shook her head. "Sorry, but  _I'm_  Boris; you're Natasha."

"I can't hear word you say, darlink."

"That's better." He leaned over to kiss her and she pushed him away, "please Natasha. This is kiddie show," her Russian accent was flawless.

Logan gave her a very chaste kiss on the cheek and leaned against the desk. "What is our plan?"

"The access road," she got up and went to the filing cabinets. When they were breaking Lilly out of the house, they didn't need to worry about alarm systems and security codes because they had an inside man. Today would be different, but she was also a different girl with new toys. She pulled out a jammer to block the perimeter alarm. It worked by radio frequency and prevented the alarm from wirelessly calling the police. Then she took out a powerful magnet to disable the contact sensors. She added her lock pick set, a screwdriver, and a computer device she could plug into the keypad to turn off the entire system.

He frowned, "do I even want to know what these things do?"

"Probably not," she stuffed them in a black duffel bag, "you're just the getaway driver."

"Except that I'm going inside with you." Veronica nodded in agreement and handed him the bag. "Hey, is everything okay?" He placed his hand on her cheek to keep her from turning away and his eyes were probing.

She thought she was doing a pretty good job at keeping everything light and easy, but apparently not good enough to fool Logan. "Did I agree too quickly? Was I supposed to insist you remain in the car?"

"When have I ever listened to that instruction?"

"Uh, never." He kissed her forehead. "How did things go with Dr. Feelgood?"

"He said I'm truly fucked up, that we are both twisted people who were made for each other and that I should be eternally grateful that my soul mate is as warped as I am." Her mouth dropped open in mock outrage. "I may be paraphrasing a bit."

"Ya think?"

"Veronica we're about to break into the house of my dead ex-girlfriend, who incidentally was murdered by my dad, in order to prove that my sister isn't a killer. It's not exactly a Norman Rockwell painting."

"Dude, you're harshing my mellow." She collected all the financial information, shoved it in her bag and slung her purse over her shoulder. "Ready?"

"After you fearless leader."

Mac was on the phone and she barely acknowledged their departure, offering a slight wave before frowning at the phone and muttering, "it's not a good idea."

Veronica paused and Logan pushed her through the door, "leave her be Mars."

"But she might need my help."

"Don't worry; Mac's a pro at dealing with Dick." He grinned, "that sounded very dirty."

"Only to you." She frowned at him, "how do you know she's talking to Dick?"

"Because he passed me a note in study hall and asked me to find out if she liked him,  _liked_  him," he shook his head. "I heard her call the restaurant and ask for him while I was standing in your doorway."

"Hasn't he left for New York yet?"

" _Finally_. There's the disdain and animosity that's been missing from your voice. God's in his heaven, all's right with the world."

Her eyes widened in surprise, "did you just quote  _poetry_?"

"You might need to elevate your game, if you want to keep up with me." He slid behind the wheel of the car and tapped his temple, "it's not all cartoons and esoteric pop culture references in here."

"Don't you worry; I can keep up with you just fine."

"No doubt." They took a less direct route to the house, which had them circle around the reservoir and approach the property from behind. The entrance to the access road was obscured with bushes and unless you knew where you were going it would be impossible to find. Logan made the turn without hesitation and he winced when something scraped the undercarriage of the BMW. "This was a lot easier in the X-terra."

"Yeah but the obnoxious yellow wasn't exactly covert."

"It did have a roomy backseat." He leered at her.

"Just keep your eyes on the road." Road was a euphemism. The unpaved, dirt path led around the property and put them right at an unused service gate near the maintenance shed. Trees and thick foliage kept them from being seen from the house and the neighbors were too far away. The path widened to a small circular clearing and Logan made a u-turn so they were facing in the right direction for their getaway before parking the car directly behind the shed. "How many times did you do this?"

"Countless," he muttered the response; his demeanor now sullen and melancholy. He stared through the windshield, but Veronica didn't think it was the shrubbery holding his interest.

"You don't have to come in with me." She turned on the jamming device to block any alarm calls.

He didn't respond. Climbing out of the car, he slowly pushed the door closed so it wouldn't make any sound and turned to the double gate. It was protected by a smart code, digital lock; the same lock that had always been there. Logan started punching in numbers and Veronica's hand darted out to stop him. "What?"

"They're probably not the same."

He glanced at her and back at the gate. It wasn't in use back then and it certainly didn't look like it was in use now. His smirk said  _you think the rich folks pay any attention to this area of the house?_  He finished punching in the numbers and the lock clicked. Smug satisfaction crossed his face as he pulled open the gate. Veronica shook her head; he was impossible to live with when he was right.

Logan took the duffel bag from her and started toward the house; his feet automatically following an invisible path that kept them hidden from sight.  _Sense memory_. When they reached the end of the landscaping there was fifteen feet of open space between them and the house. They stood there side-by-side waiting for a girl who was long gone to push open the window and whisper,  _what took you so long? Well, don't just stand there, come help me._

Veronica shook off the memory. She took off at a run, crossed the open space and pressed her body against the house. Logan however, casually walked across the grass laughing at her. "The house is empty remember? I think the subterfuge has gone to your head."

A small smile teased the corner of her mouth, "maybe."

She moved along the house to the door she wanted. It was a standard solid wood door with no windows or sidelights. Logan leaned against the house watching as Veronica ran the magnet along the seam to disable the alarm contacts and then picked the lock. It took her less than five minutes to align the tumblers. He pushed himself off the house and followed her inside. "Is it wrong that this is a total turn-on?" She rolled her eyes. "What? You're sexy when you're stealthy."

Veronica unscrewed the panel on the alarm pad and connected her favorite and highly illegal toy. It bypassed the circuitry and the green  _disabled_  light flashed on. "Remember, don't touch anything."

"You mean I shouldn't leave my fingerprints at a crime scene? What a novel idea." The sardonic tone wasn't lost on her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and followed her through the maze of rooms. When they reached Lilly's bedroom, Veronica stopped short so suddenly, Logan plowed right into her. "What the fuck…how?"

Lilly's room was exactly that, Lilly's room. The furniture was slightly different, but it was close and it was arranged the same way. A large mirror on the desk leaning against the wall, a framed photo of Logan and Lilly, the same bedspread and throw pillows, even the pictures on the wall were identical. "Crime scene photos maybe?"

"That's just sick." Veronica silently agreed with him. Julie's fascination with Lilly Kane crossed the line from research to bizarre when she started sleeping with the movie counterparts for Logan, Aaron, and Weevil, but this…this was truly disturbing. "Let's get this over with."

She moved further into the room. "You take the closet and I'll look through the desk and remember…"

"I know, I know, don't touch anything." He pulled his sleeve down over his hand and twisted the knob to the walk-in closet. "What are we looking for?"

"I'll know it when I see it."

His voice was muffled inside the closet, "that clears it right up, thanks."

The picture of Logan and Lilly was one she hadn't seen for a long time. Veronica picked up the frame and put it in her duffel bag.  _Trespassing and stealing from a crime scene, Lilly would be proud_. Daily sides of the script were stacked on the desk, along with a full copy of Blood Lilly.  _Still need to read that_. There was a note card, like the kind that came with flowers, which read congratulations, but without a signature.  _Probably not from Perry_.

She moved to the bedside tables. There were some trashy paperback romance novels. Veronica picked up each one and shook them to see if anything was tucked between the pages, but nothing fell out. She knelt on the floor and checked under the bed. It was hard to concentrate. Thoughts of Lilly wouldn't leave her alone.

' _Look Veronica Cosmo Girl has 493 ways for us to have fun this summer and it's going to tell us how to meet cute guys_.'

' _You already have a cute guy; how many more do you need?'_

' _I'll remember to tell Logan you think he's cute.'_

"There's nothing in there, but clothes and…are you okay?"

Veronica wiped the tears from her face and stood, "there's one more place to check." She started to drag the desk chair over and stopped, she couldn't do it. This was too much like that night. "Here," she took the screwdriver out of the bag, handed it to him and nodded toward the air vent.

Logan didn't need a chair. He unscrewed the cover and pulled out the contents; the stolen canisters of film.


	26. CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

"Is this what you meant by I'll know it when I see it?" Logan handed her the missing reels of movie, put the cover back and used his sleeve to wipe any prints off the vent. "Julie didn't electrocute herself in the pool, so what gives?"

Veronica shoved the canisters in the duffel bag, zipped it up and gave it to him. "Let's get out of here; we'll talk about it in the car."

They retraced their steps through the house. She disconnected the bypass on the alarm system and the red light started to flash. She quickly screwed the cover back on the keypad and pushed Logan from the house before the system reset.

Once they were in the car, he paused before starting the engine. "I take it back Veronica. The, we don't do normal. After seeing that room," he shook his head, "we're like Ozzie and Harriet, but with wittier dialogue."

She tapped her chin, "I'm thinking more Rob and Laura Petrie; she at least got to wear pants."

"Mary Tyler Moore  _did_  look hot in those capris…but they slept in separate beds and that's never gonna happen." He started the car, "even though you do steal all the covers and you snore."

She folded her arms across her chest, "after that comment, you'll be lucky if we don't end up in separate rooms."

"You know you'd miss me," he put his hand on her leg and stroked her knee with his thumb.

Veronica took his hand and laced their fingers together, "yeah, I would."

When they got to the end of the access road, he asked, "where to?"

_Clarence Wiedman's office_. "Home; I promised Dottie we wouldn't be gone long."

He made the turn, "so if Julie was committing the pranks, my first question is why and my follow up question is who killed her?"

"Trina formed Echo Films to buy Blood Lilly, which means the corporation owns the script and the company, your sister, is in serious debt."

Logan smirked, "it wasn't either or, it was both."

It was what he asked her in their room right after Trina arrived;  _the needs to borrow money kind of trouble or the I'm going to jail for the rest of my life kind of trouble_. "We're helping her with one… are you going to help with the other?"

"It's not just up to me." He glanced at her, "it's your money too."

Veronica sidestepped that declaration, "if the company declares bankruptcy because of the debts, the court will auction off the script to pay the creditors."

"And the person with the most money wins."

"It's the game of Life, Neptune edition!" She clapped her hands with fake glee and he just shook his head. "Feel like grilling some steak for dinner? I'll punch 9 and 1 into my phone so I'm ready in case you use too much lighter fluid."

He groaned as he pulled into the parking lot of Mars Investigations, "why can't I buy a gas grill again? Turn the nozzle, hit a button."

She wrinkled her nose, "it doesn't taste the same."

"That's because you have an unrefined palate."

"If by unrefined you mean I don't like my food to taste like propane, so be it." Veronica got out of the car and waited for him to do the same. "Now be a dear and go buy us some steaks. I'll meet you at home."

"I have to go to the market  _and_  cook? I don't know Veronica; this doesn't seem like an equal division of labor."

She looked him over, "hmm, I don't think we can have an equal division of  _all_  labor."

His hands cradled her hips, pulling her closer and smiled, "I did get you ice pops and let you squeeze my hand." Logan wiggled his pinkie and ring finger at her, "still no feeling in these two fingers."

"These two?" Veronica wrapped her hand around said fingers and he grimaced in exaggerated pain. "My poor baby," she kissed them, "if you cook, I'll do the dishes."

"And in exchange for the trip to the market?"

"I won't steal the covers."

Logan kissed her forehead, "you can steal my covers anytime you want." He leaned on the car and settled her between his splayed legs. Cupping her face, he smoothed his thumb across her lips and lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was slow and gentle; tongue languidly tasting her mouth like it was a fine wine or a rich dessert he was savoring. Veronica leaned into him and his knees tightened around her.

She pulled her head back, "I know what you're trying to do and it won't work."

"It has to work." He tilted his head in the direction of the mustang, " _I_  have to get Dottie's car home, so  _you_  have to go to the store." Her gaze narrowed and he held up a finger to silence her protests. "Nope, you can't complain that you just got played miss I must go feed the baby right now."

She smiled, "okay, but now you're cooking  _and_  doing the dishes." Veronica held out her hand and he dropped the keys into the center of her palm before pulling open the car door for her.

Once she was behind the wheel, he shut the door and leaned over it to give her another quick kiss. "Will you still share your blankets with me?"

"Always." Veronica put the car in gear and pulled out of the lot. The trip to Ralphs was supposed to be a quick run to get the steaks, but it was nice walking up and down the aisles without having to think any deeper thoughts than should I buy bananas?  _Is it still called retail therapy when you're buying food?_

Julie's obsession with Lilly was just … _creepy_. It wasn't only Lilly though; she had her sights set on that little gold, thirteen inch statue. Even Trina said,  _the character of Lilly was one of those roles you could sink your teeth into. A possible Oscar winner_. The potential for an Oscar win, or at least a nomination, was good enough that Charlene Lawrence was originally attached to the project so Julie's belief at least had merit.

The plan was pretty straightforward; Julie wanted to star in Blood Lilly and Trina owned the script. Sign on to the movie, enlist Lowell's help for the more technical aspects of the pranks, and bankrupt Trina. Once the creditors started to file claims, the court would auction off the script and Julie would swoop in to purchase it. She had the available funds even without the weekly five thousand dollar payments from Clarence Wiedman. The question now was  _why_  was Clarence paying her money? And did she double-cross him like she did Lowell?

Veronica needed to finish looking through that information on Kip Williams and confirm his connection to Clarence, but she  _really_  needed to get into Porcellian Security. All that time he left her cooling her heels in his waiting room was a tactical error on his part. The artwork and fancy coffee were nice, but checking out the alarm system, security cameras and exit doors were more helpful. She grinned. It wouldn't be as easy as getting inside the Kane mansion, he did own a  _security_  firm after all, but she was confident it wouldn't be a problem.  _Low risk, possible big reward_.

Steaks were now an entire shopping cart full of food. She loaded the trunk, returned the cart to its corral and headed home. It needed to be done at night; late enough that she wouldn't run into any zealous employees burning the midnight oil and before any eager beavers showed up early for work.

_Do I confront Kip Williams first?_ That didn't seem like a winning proposition and if he felt cornered it could quickly escalate into a situation she'd promised Logan she would avoid. Better to leave Kip Williams for the authorities. At least he resided in Los Angeles and not Neptune so his apprehension would be up to the LAPD and not  _Lamb_. She gave a little mental shudder at that thought.

Veronica grabbed some of the bags and opened the front door, "honey I'm home." Her greeting was met with silence. She dropped the groceries on the porch and unloaded the rest of the car. "Logan?"

Crossing the living room, she peeked through the French doors at the yard. He was sitting on the deck holding a sleeping Wyatt. Logan loved to watch her sleep. Sometimes she would catch him standing over the crib while the baby napped; every so often reaching down to stroke her hair, or rub her back. He was a very tactile person. Veronica wondered if it filled a need for him; to give and receive the loving contact he'd been deprived of as a child. He glanced up and smiled when he caught her watching them.  _He likes watching her sleep and I like watching him do it_. She pushed open the door and stepped onto the deck.

"You were gone a long time, slaughter those cows yourself?"

"It tastes better when it's fresh." The wicked gleam in his eyes made her throw up her hands, "don't say it. Whatever it is you're thinking, keep it to yourself."

He pouted, "but Veronica, sharing is caring."

She rolled her eyes, "how 'bout  _sharing_  in the chore of putting away the groceries?"

"I'm watching the baby."

"Uh, she's sleeping."

"I know, but look how beautiful she is." His expression was tender and his smile soft, but for just a second his eyes got that faraway look like he was no longer seeing her; no longer here with them.

"Where do you go?"

He blinked, "huh?"

"In your head," she stroked the hair at the nape of his neck. "Sometimes you get this clouded absent look in your eyes and you're not really here."

"It's not my happy place," he raised his face to see her, "because that's definitely here with you and Wyatt." Veronica continued to stroke his hair and waited. She was starting to think the offhand comment was the only answer she was going to get when he said, "I'm really happy Veronica. Even with what's going on with Trina, I'm happy, here with you and our daughter and…" He shook his head, "it's like I'm waiting for something to go wrong." The words caused a flutter of apprehension in the pit of her stomach and she chewed her bottom lip causing Logan to frown at her, "what?"

"I need to talk to you about Trina," she gave a slight shrug, "and I don't want to."

"Is it bad?"

She nodded. To reassure him she added, "it's not about the case. She didn't kill Julie or anything like that. It's about the clinic." She frowned, "can we put Wyatt down and talk about it during… _after_  dinner?"

"But we are going to talk about it right?"

Reluctantly, she forced out the word, "yes." She held out her hands, "do you want me to take her while you start the grill?"

"I'll put her down and help you put the food away first."

She held the door open for him and then started bringing the grocery bags into the kitchen. After putting Wyatt in her room, he carried in the rest of them. They worked in silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but Veronica didn't like it. "Was Aaron always especially close to Trina?"

He shrugged, "they weren't home much when I was little; location shoots, award shows, public appearances and when they were around it was  _family time_." Logan said family time the same way you might say  _visit hell_.

"So not extra close? He was just nicer to her?"

He paused and stared at the lettuce he was holding. "Later, when he was home more, they would go on special trips together and he'd buy her things, expensive things. Lots of sweethearts and nothings too good for my princess. Mom was less than thrilled." It dawned on him that he was just blankly staring at the lettuce, "salad with dinner?"

"Sure. I'll make it." Veronica held out her hand for the lettuce. "Baked potatoes too? Lots of sour cream and butter?"

"You know eating a lot isn't going to make you grow taller."

"Again with the short jokes? You might need some new material."

"Why? I already told you  _I_  find them funny. Who else do I have to entertain?"

She gave him a baleful stare, "don't you have a barbecue to start?" He laughed his way from the kitchen and Veronica stuck her tongue out at his retreating back. After washing the potatoes, she poked them with a fork and put them in the oven. She minced a clove of fresh garlic and then raided the spice cabinet for seasonings to make a dry rub for the rib eyes.

_I have to tell him about Trina, but do I have to mention Duncan?_  It wasn't her intent to  _never_  tell him, but really how many things could a person process in one night? She was worried. This feeling of wanting to protect him wasn't entirely new. Or maybe it was? She was so used to him stepping in and trying to take care of  _her_ , protect  _her,_ even to the point of pissing her off, hello unloaded gun and bodyguard, did she ever think about his safety?  _Parker_.

"How long does it take to make a salad? I'm getting lonely out there all by myself." He stopped short, "uh-oh it's deep thought time." He took a bowl down from the cabinet, "Veronica it's really not that hard, look lettuce." Logan scooped up the shredded lettuce, "bowl," he held up the bowl and then dumped the lettuce in it. "Voila, salad. No thinking required."

"Your culinary skills are astounding."

"Hey, I did manage to light the grill without setting the house on fire." He smirked, "it was touch and go there for a minute and I think I might've lost an eyebrow or two." Logan touched his fingers to his brows and then bent down so she could see. "Are they still there?"

"You're fine."

"I know I am, but what about my eyebrows?"

She gave him a gentle push, "honey you know you're pretty stop fishing for compliments."

"That's the only way I get them. It's like you don't even care that I try to look my best for you when you come home from a hard day at the office."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch next thing will be how I never take you out anymore and that I don't appreciate all the hard work that goes into keeping the house."

Logan pouted, "well you don't and when  _is_  the last time you took me anywhere fancy?"

"Babe," Veronica patted his face, "I just took you on a break-in. Now why don't you stifle yourself and get my dinner on the table." She handed him the platter of steaks. "I'll be there in a minute." She added tomatoes, cucumber, shredded cheese and bacon bits to the salad before carrying it outside. "Okay with you if we eat out here?"

He nodded, "don't forget the baby monitor." It took several trips to carry everything outside, including the baby monitor, and then she needed to go back in for the potatoes and the corn on the cob. She went back inside one more time for her laptop, silenced both of their cell phones, and got her purse. Logan eyed the computer, "is this going to be a working dinner?"

"Nope, I'm all yours." She pointed to her face, "this here is my undivided attention face."

"I didn't think that was even possible; you to concentrate on only one thing at a time."

"It'll be tough, but you're worth it." Everything looked delicious, but she didn't have much of an appetite. Logan was watching her though so she made a good show of it. She ate her salad, a piece of corn, a few bites of potato and some steak while contemplating exactly how to tell him Aaron was an even bigger monster than he thought. "I called Barry Randall…updated your Will?"

"Ah good to see attorney client privilege is alive and well. I updated it, but I haven't signed it yet. We need to talk about guardians for Wyatt first." She scrunched up her face in distaste. "We can't avoid it Veronica."

"Are you sure? Can't we at least try?" She sighed, "our options are limited. In case you haven't noticed you and I? Not a lot of friends."

"It's shocking really, we're such fun people." He thoughtfully chewed a piece of steak, "if you didn't want to discuss Wills, why did you call Barry?"

"To see if he knew anything about Kleine Schritte. I told him I had a friend who needed a referral." He shook his head, but he was smiling. "He said he'd get back to me, but I don't need him to." She pulled a sheet of paper from her purse and put it on the table, "that's the phone number and Trina's access code."

"She gave it to you?" Surprise underscored the question, but she didn't miss the shades of hurt that Trina would confide in her and not him.

"No, I…searched her room at the Grand this afternoon."

"Have you called them?"

She shook her head, "with the time difference it was too late to call. There were also some pills in her room…prescriptions for anxiety and panic disorders and to help her sleep."

"So this could still be an exclusive rehab facility…alcohol, drugs…maybe both."

"For four years?"

Logan shrugged, "it's hard to give up an addiction."

Veronica pulled out her laptop and booted it up, "let me read you something." She followed the links she'd emailed to herself and located the relevant paragraph, "distorted self perception, self-destructive relationships, four to five times more likely to abuse alcohol or drugs, promiscuous with possibly fifty or more sexual partners, vulnerable in dangerous situations, exploitation by untrustworthy people, abusive relationships. Sound familiar?"

"Hell Veronica that could be me." His eyes clouded, "what were you searching for when you found that?"

"Adult manifestations of abuse." A stricken expression crossed his face and she immediately realized what he was thinking. "This search wasn't about you Logan, it was about Trina, remember."

"Aaron never hit Trina." He cradled his head in his hands. "It's okay Veronica, I get it. You're worried about Wyatt."

She smacked her hand down on the table so hard it stung, "no! I'm not worried about Wyatt. Look at me," he raised his face, "you are a  _great_  dad and our daughter is lucky to have you. I  _know_  you would  _never_  hurt her." Veronica turned the screen around so he could see it and her voice softened, "these aren't just the signs of abuse, they are the manifestations of  _sexual_  abuse."

The color bleached from his face and he started to tremble. A kaleidoscope of emotions played across his face; disbelief, shock, sadness, rage. "Are you saying…"

"I don't know for sure, but I think so." She abandoned her chair, wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close; his head cradled against her chest while she stroked his hair.

"Tell me why you think…what made you…"

"At first I thought it was just about your childhood. You said yourself, denial was her way of dealing and I thought maybe she just couldn't live in denial anymore, but then I started thinking about Aaron and why he was so good to her while so awful to you."

He lifted his head to look at her, "I still don't see how you got here from that."

"The endless parade of boyfriends through your house, Dylan Goran, still being with Conner after he cheated on her. Then the things Trina said- it was fun pretending to be other people and money covering a multitude of sins."

"You really think that Aaron did…what am I saying?  _Of course_  Aaron could do that." He shook his head, "I just thought… I thought it was  _me_  Veronica. That I wasn't good enough or…that it was my fault."

"You were a  _baby_  Logan, a  _child_. None of that was your fault. It was all him." She cupped his face, "not your fault. You didn't deserve it or ask for it."

"But he treated her so well. Adored her and she…"

"That's the way it works. The abuser tries to distance…Aaron tried to distance Trina from other members of the family, from you, so he was the only one she had to turn to and the buying her things and taking her on special trips, they were bribes so she would keep the secret."

"God Veronica, I was so awful to her."

"She wasn't so great to you either Logan. That's the way Aaron wanted it."

"I don't…I can't…what do I say to her now?"

_Good question_. "You realize that this isn't fact, I don't have any proof, any real evidence. I'm just speculating."

"But it makes sense doesn't it?" She nodded. "What do I do Veronica? Tell me. Do I call the clinic? Talk to Trina? Leave it alone?"

"I'm not sure." If it was her, she'd probably check herself into the clinic to steal Trina's file and then confront her with it. At the very least, she'd go to Trina with her suspicions and wait for the reaction to know if she was right. Or maybe she wouldn't do either.  _What if someone confronted me about my rape before I was ready to talk about it? What if it was someone I didn't want knowing about it in the first place?_  "You might have to wait until Trina decides to tell you herself."

"And what if she never wants to talk about it?"

"That's her right."

He got up and started pacing. "Why do you think she waited so long to get help?"

"Sometimes there's dissociation from the abuse and you repress it. Life changing events like Aaron's death could've brought it all up again."

" _Fuck_." He clutched his head. "I don't…"

It was painful to watch him suffer. He looked torn between wanting to kill someone,  _Aaron_ , and wanting to have a complete emotional breakdown. She didn't know if talking more would help or only make it worse. Did he need to know that victims were afraid of their beds and that's why sleeping was difficult? Or that Trina's clinging to  _daddy_  was because Aaron fostered that unhealthy attachment? This was beyond her. She put her hand on his arm and he stopped his pacing. "Maybe you should call Dr. Trent?"

Logan nodded. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tight. His body was stiff, but she could feel the slight tremors shake him. He put his hands on her shoulders. "I'll be okay Veronica, I just need…to be away from here." His hands slid down her arms and he gently pulled them from his waist. "I promise I'll call Dr. Trent from the car."


	27. CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

             It was a bad night. She made herself go to bed early since she needed to be up by four, but it was a restless night without him. When she finally felt the mattress shift beneath his weight, it was close to one a.m. and she was half asleep. She asked if he was okay and he responded, ‘ _I will be_ ,’ before taking her hand and closing his eyes. She didn’t expect him to fall asleep, but when Wyatt woke at three a.m. for a feeding, Logan barely stirred.

            Veronica frowned. She didn’t want to go without telling him. What if he woke up and needed her? _I should’ve waited to tell him about Trina until this was over_. Trina, she needed to do this if she was going to keep her from a lethal injection. It would be okay; she’d leave him a note and probably be back before he even noticed. The entire thing should take two hours at most; fifteen minutes each way, a half hour to actually get inside and an hour to search. She fed Wyatt.

            Last night before going to sleep she’d gone through the financial information for Kip again. The occupation on his old tax return showed that he used to be a security guard, which was too much of a coincidence for anyone, but especially for her. During her Internet search of Porcellian Security their website said, _movie security for location sets and at the studios_ and when she found Kip’s W2 that connection was confirmed. Kip Williams used to work as a movie studio security guard for Clarence Wiedman.

            According to Conner, Julie was the one that wanted to hire Porcellian in the first place and based on what Nancy said she was also the one who pushed to film in Neptune. _Staying close to her partner?_ Clarence had no vested interest in the movie, but it wouldn’t be the first time the Kane family paid him to do their dirty work; icing down Lilly’s body to alter the time of death, tracking down Amelia DeLongpre, and killing Aaron.

            Veronica thought about the conversation with Clarence in his office; _but you do work for Trina Echolls; she’s the client right?_ There was that slightly smug smile on his face when she said the name Echolls like he knew something she didn’t and then there was the million dollar wire transfer. _Leave it to Duncan to romanticize another crime_. Paying Clarence for the execution of Aaron Echolls on the anniversary of Lilly’s death must have seemed _poetic_ to him; poetic justice.

            The Register asked if _Duncan Kane returned to Neptune to clip another Lilly_ , but would he care? There were a lot of people, i.e. Aaron’s fan base, who already thought he killed his sister thanks to the trial. Would it matter to him if there was a movie that said the same thing? Probably not, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t do something to stop it, like pay Clarence Wiedman, _again_. _How did I ever think he was the nice one, the normal one?_

            Once Wyatt was done eating and had fallen asleep, Veronica put her back in the crib and got dressed. She wrote the note for Logan; _don’t worry, just collecting some evidence and picking up breakfast burritos for two…I love you_ and stuck it under the baby monitor on his nightstand. Her bag with her tools was still in the BMW in preparation for tonight’s excursion so the only things she needed were her set of master keys, a flashlight and her pocketknife. Veronica dug them from her purse and grabbed her cell phone too. She waited until she was on the front porch before powering up her cell. There were two missed calls both from Mac.

            She listened to them while she transferred the duffel bag to the front seat. The first was short; _I’m having problems with the computers at the office, call me back_. The second message was equally short, _I found monitoring software on our computers and I want to check your laptop so bring it to the office tomorrow_. Both calls came in around the time she was having dinner with Logan.

            She tossed the cell in the duffel and it made a clinking sound like glass on glass. Pulling open the mouth of the bag, she saw the picture of Logan and Lilly she took from Julie’s things and pulled it out. They were standing in line at White Water Canyon in Chula Vista. Logan had his arms wrapped around Lilly and his chin resting on her shoulder. It was one of those rare moments where she seemed happy with his “clinginess” and they both wore wide smiles.

            Veronica had snapped the picture before the mood could change. _Mercurial_ , was often the best description of Lilly’s moods and this day was no different. She was pissy by the end of the day about her ruined hair and makeup. Logan’s teasing, ‘ _what did you think would happen at a water park Lil?_ ” did not go over well. When Veronica framed the photo to give it to Lilly all she could say was, “ _at least it was before my makeup got totally ruined_.” Veronica frowned at the picture. Turning on the interior lights, she held it up and studied the familiar frame. She put it on the seat, clicked off the lights and started the car. _It had to come from one of them, but which one?_

            Both Celeste and Jake filed injunctions to stop the movie, but both motions were quashed, which meant finding another way to end the filming of Blood Lilly. Norris told her, _Celeste didn’t seem to care about the movie. I think she filed the injunction just so she wouldn’t be outdone by Jake_ and it was true, Celeste wouldn’t care about the movie if it was only about _Lilly_ ; however, she _would_ care if it besmirched her precious and adored Duncan.

            Then there was Jake; _he hit all the right buttons. Sad that Hollywood was exploiting his daughter’s life, outrage that anyone could think either he or Duncan could kill Lilly, bitter that people wouldn’t let the story go and let her rest in peace_. If one of the three of them were paying Julie, through Clarence, to sabotage the movie they would not be happy to know she was double crossing them. Julie, getting one of the Kanes to pay her to stop a movie that wasn’t really about Lilly and then using their money to finance the _original_ movie, was playing a dangerous game.

            That picture in Perry’s apartment of Clarence fighting with Julie could’ve been him warning her that she was making a mistake messing with the mighty Kanes and what did Perry say, _I did hear him on the phone afterwards and he said it’s done_. So which Kane was it? _Who were you talking to Clarence?_

            Veronica knew she needed more proof before she could publicly accuse a Kane of murder. She smirked, especially considering how well it worked out for her dad when he tried it. Handing Lamb a picture of Logan and Lilly as evidence would only succeed in providing him a good laugh. It wouldn’t matter if she swore out an affidavit that it was the _very same_ picture from Lilly’s room and not a duplicate. He would totally miss the significance of Julie having a picture that could’ve only come from the Kane family.

            Cloaked in darkness, the three-story steel and glass structure looked less architectural marvel and more evil villain lair. The slow drive around the building to the parking lot when she was here with Logan gave her ample time to notice the outside surveillance cameras at the front and the rear of the building. Veronica parked the car in the office park next door and cut through the bushes to approach Porcellian from the side where there were no cameras.

            She pushed one of the thirty-six gallon metal garbage cans on its side, _need to keep the pristine landscape litter free_ , and then pulled it up so it was upside down. It weighed almost as much as she did so lifting it would’ve been a chore. Wedging it against the corner of the building, she climbed on top and used her pocketknife to slice the wire to one of the surveillance cameras, the one with a view of the door she wanted. She put the knife back in her pocket, fixed the trash can and ran back to the bushes to wait. Fifteen minutes and no one came to check on the disabled camera. _Either there are no nighttime security guards or they’re lazy._

            This time Veronica took the duffel bag with her on the trip across the lot. She turned on the jamming device to prevent wireless alarm calls, but it wouldn’t stop a call from a hardwired landline and she was positive the door lock was wired. It was a good lock and it would take too long to pick it; long enough that even _Lamb_ would have her in cuffs before she reached the fire stairs, but using a key to unlock the door would prevent the alarm from sounding.

She cycled through her keys for the right bump key, inserted it into the keyhole and hit it with the screwdriver. The energy transferred from the impact of the screwdriver forced the pins above the shear line allowing her to turn the key and unlock the door. _Low risk, now I just need my big reward_.

            This was the tricky part. There was a camera inside turned to the door, but it had a blind spot close to the floor. She got on her knees and crawled into the building. The camera would still show the opening and closing of the door, but without a person in view she was hoping the lazy security guards, if there were any, would think it was a trick of the light. She continued her crawl across the floor and out of the path of the camera. There were no security cameras in the stairwell and she took the stairs two at a time to the top floor. Veronica paused on the landing to listen. There were no other sounds in the building except her racing heartbeat. _I need a little more time on the Stairmaster at the gym._

            The door to Clarence’s inner sanctum had a cheaper lock and wasn’t wired; she picked the lock and let herself into the reception area. An alarm panel was conveniently located right near the door. Fire safety code meant you couldn’t keep the egress door to the stairs locked in case of an emergency, so the panel needed to be accessible. It had a handy emergency button that if pushed would unlock the door and let you escape down the stairs. Of course, hitting that button would also sound the fire alarm.

            She unscrewed the panel and attached her toy to the wiring. The code encryption was better and it took a little longer than it did at the Kane mansion, but it eventually disabled the system. Veronica pulled out her flashlight. There were only two more security measures between reception and Clarence’s office; an electric eye in the hallway and an alarm contact on his door. The first easily defeated with her flashlight shined directly into the receiver so she could pass through the beam and the second with her high-powered magnet.

            Veronica’s sneakers squeaked on the polished hardwood. There were no drawers in his stainless steel desk so she turned her attention to the filing cabinets in the credenza. She felt fairly confident that if Clarence had anything incriminating on the Kanes it would be in his personal office and not in some generic file room. The credenza was custom work and none of her master keys would fit in the locks. She broke out the lock pick set.

            The first drawer contained only financial information on Porcellian; copies of back tax returns, bank statements, the company checkbook. The second drawer held personnel files with both current and former employees. She skimmed through them and found one for Kip Williams. Putting it on the desk, she opened the third drawer and found Clarence’s personal financial information. Two thick files were the only things in the final drawer. She pulled both of them out and put them on the desk. Veronica propped the flashlight under her chin and started with the file on Kip.

            His last job for Porcellian was almost three years ago doing security on the Warner Brothers lot and he was there for two years. She didn’t know how long it would take to become a master electrician in the state of California, but three years seemed feasible especially if he was going to school at night while working for Clarence. Porcellian Security only started five years ago so that should’ve been it for Kip’s personnel file, but there were more pages. Veronica thumbed through the pages to the end. Kip Williams worked under Clarence Wiedman at Kane Software; _bad Clarence poaching employees_.

            She reached for the first of the two thick files and flipped it open. A photograph was on top of the pile; a candid shot of Julie Hanson, but she wasn’t alone. Veronica started to pick it up for a closer look when she heard a faint buzz. There were no other sounds, but she didn’t want to take any chances. Veronica clicked off the flashlight and shoved the two files in her duffel bag. Moving slowly across the office floor to not make any sound, she opened the door a crack and peered down the hall. It was still vacant, but now she had a dilemma. Turn the flashlight back on so she could pass through the electric eye or break the beam and sound the alarm. She waited. There were no other noises and she didn’t relish the idea of being caught breaking and entering. She flicked on the flashlight, aimed it at the receiver and crossed the hall.

            Keeping her back pressed to the wall she sidestepped down the hall to the reception area. The atmosphere felt different and she knew she wasn’t alone. The impulse to shout _hello_ into the darkness was a reflex she avoided. She dropped to the floor behind the reception desk to make a smaller target and started to crawl for the door. When she was almost there, she stood and reached for the alarm pad.

            The safety cable slipped around her throat yanking her away from the door. Veronica reached for the alarm pad and the emergency button, but her fingers barely grazed it before being dragged further back into the room. The cable tightened around her throat cutting off her oxygen and her peripheral vision started to dim. Her fingers clawed at the cable and she choked out the one word she hoped would stop him, “Dad.”

            His grip faltered and the cable loosened for a fraction of a second. She wedged her fingers between the cable and her neck and sucked air into her lungs. “Duncan said…you told him you weren’t…”

            “I lied,” her throat was raspy and barely audible.

            “So I am your…no,” he started to tighten the cable again spinning her body away from the fire door and toward the reception desk. “I should’ve killed you when I had the chance. Clarence wouldn’t do it, but I could’ve found someone else.”

            Logan’s, ‘ _hey Veronica what did you do?_ ’ and her response, _‘I pissed Jake Kane off…a lot_ ’ played through her mind. She needed to get home to her family. _Keep him talking Veronica, distract him_. “Like you had Kip Williams kill Julie.”

            “That bitch was taking my money to stop that movie and the entire time she was planning to betray me. I didn’t have a choice.” He sounded so calm, like it was a business decision made in the boardroom. It would’ve been less frightening if he was raging and screaming. The cable loosened a little more and she wedged her hand a little higher until it wasn’t just her fingers keeping the cord from her neck, but her wrist.

            “How did you know I was here?”

            “I followed you from your house.” The idea of him outside her house where her child was sleeping enraged her. “I would’ve taken care of you there, but I wanted to see what you were up to.” Veronica stuck her free hand in her pocket and started to wiggle her knife free.

            The overhead lights clicked on and Veronica blinked against the sudden brightness. Clarence was at the main door with a gun at his side. “Jake!” He raised the gun and leveled it at Jake’s head, “let her go.” His sudden appearance refocused Jake and the cable tightened around her hand. Veronica heard a pop in her wrist and the pain almost made her drop the knife.

            “I can’t let her go; she’s never going to stop. She’ll put us both in prison.” He twisted the cable around his hands, “she’s Veronica Mars, relentless bitch.”

            “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

            “Neither have I.” Jake’s laughter was laced with bitterness, “it’s not like you haven’t done this before Clarence. We can make both of our problems go away. No one will ever find her.”

            “This is different and we both know it.”

            “I know nothing of the kind. She ruined my life. Took my son from me, my granddaughter.”

            Resting the knife against her thigh, Veronica struggled to open the blade one-handed without dropping it.

            “You have to let her go Jake.”

            “If you would’ve just taken care of Julie like I asked you to, none of this would be happening. I know you have it in you Clarence…”

            “Julie wasn’t a killer; there’s a difference between cold blooded murder and justice.”

            The blade flicked open and Veronica got a good grip on the knife. Raising her arm, she started to swing the knife backwards aiming for Jake’s thigh at the same time Clarence’s finger tightened on the trigger. She saw the slight movement of his hand, “no! Don’t shoot….”

            Her plea was too late. Time sped up and slowed down. She could feel the warm splash of blood against her hair and face. The cable tightened at first, her body being tugged backward with Jake as he fell. Her fingers closed around the cable, pulling and she was free. Veronica staggered away, her ears ringing. She couldn’t look back; didn’t want to see Jake’s body. _Jake, Marjorie, blood_. It was in her hair; the coppery smell making her dizzy and the salty taste on her lips. She spit.

            Clarence was talking to her. His mouth was moving, but she couldn’t hear anything. He was still holding the gun, but it was down at his side, pointed at the floor. _Run, Veronica_. It took a minute for her feet to follow the command and then she was running across the hardwood floor. At the door, she hit the emergency button and the fire alarm started to wail. She pushed through the door and ran down the stairs not stopping until she was standing in the parking lot.

 

**XXXXX**

 

            The dispatch, turnout, and travel time equated to nine minutes and twenty-seven seconds before the first fire truck arrived on the scene. As soon as she saw them Veronica relaxed. The ringing in her ears from the gunshot was gone and she used her phone to call Logan. His cell phone rang five times before going to voice mail. She hung up and tried the house phone. It was answered on the fourth ring with a sleepy, “hello?”

            “It’s me.” More sirens pierced the night as an ambulance arrived along with a cruiser from the Sheriff’s Department.

            All trace of sleep was gone from his voice and he sounded instantly alert, “where are you?”

            “It’s a long story, but I’m okay.” She was going to have to talk to the police and explain what happened. It was possible that they would arrest her for breaking and entering and, knowing Lamb, add charges for possessing her burglary tools. Plus she still needed to decide what to do about Clarence. “Can you bring Wyatt to my dad or to Dottie’s house and come here?”

            “Just tell me where you are.”

            “Clarence Wiedman’s office...Porcellian Security.”

            “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He seemed reluctant to hang up the phone and sever his connection with her. _I know the feeling_. It was comforting just to hear him breathing on the line. She knew he would come to her as soon as she called him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

            “Yes, but…if I’m not here when you get here try the Sheriff’s station.”

            “Okay.” She could only guess at how hard it was for him to reign in his panic and manage to sound so calm. “Should I call Bartlitt?”

            “Not yet, but can you hurry?”

            “I’m coming Veronica.” She waited for him to hang up first.

            Now that Logan was on his way, it was time for her to face the music and deal with Lamb. He was already talking to Clarence Wiedman as she approached the cruiser. “We were running a security check.”

            Her steps slowed. “So you’re saying you knew Veronica Mars would be here?” Lamb’s question was both scoffing and incredulous.

            “I hired Mars Investigations to test the building security.” Clarence looked directly at her almost challenging her to contradict his story.

            “Aren’t you a security firm?” This time his tone was more mocking than anything else.

            “Yes, which is why I felt the need to ensure my system could withstand a break-in.” Clarence’s version of events legitimized her reason for being here and provided a legal excuse for the presence of her burglary tools. If she went along with his story Lamb couldn’t arrest her.

            The Sheriff finally noticed her standing there, “is this true?”

_Decision time_. What proof did she have that Clarence killed Aaron? Nothing except a money transfer from his employer at the time, which could be explained any number of ways, and the words of a dead man, _it’s not like you haven’t done this before_. Clarence didn’t kill Julie; Jake admitted he was the one who hired Kip. If she wanted Clarence to backup her claims about Jake and Kip she was going to have to play this his way. _Free Trina and keep my mouth shut about Aaron_. She nodded, “Clarence and I have a long history of mutual cooperation; he knew he could trust me.” _There’s your answer and what I want in exchange_. She hoped he got the message.

            “So why was Jake Kane here?”

            Veronica fielded this question, “he followed me from my house. I think he was monitoring my computer systems and realized I knew he was the one who killed Julie Hanson.”

            Clarence picked up the story, “he confessed to hiring Kip Williams to fix the lights in order to electrocute Julie. Jake was afraid Veronica had put it together, which is why he tried to kill her.” Message received and he was willing to accept her terms.

            “And Clarence shot him to save my life.” Not entirely true, but it played well with the fairy tale they were weaving. She was sure that shooting Jake had more to do with saving his own ass than saving her life. There was no way Clarence missed the knife in her hands. He would’ve known that once she stabbed Jake he would release the cable and they would be able to subdue him until the police arrived. Briefly she wondered what evidence Jake had on him in connection to Aaron’s shooting.

            “Why would Jake Kane want Julie dead?” Lamb directed the question to Clarence.

            “Jake was paying her to sabotage the movie so it wouldn’t be made. He was having me give her weekly payments of five thousand dollars and once the production shut down, he promised her a million dollar bonus.” _The Kanes really like that sum, one million dollars; nice round number_.

            Veronica added, “But Julie didn’t intend to shut down the movie. All she wanted was to bankrupt Trina so she could get her hands on the script.”

            Clarence delivered the coup de grace, “I’ll give you proof of the payments and Jake’s arrangement with her, but you need to have the charges dropped against Trina Echolls.” Lamb seemed overwhelmed by all the information… _surprise, surprise_ …and he scratched his head in confusion. Veronica rolled her eyes behind his back and Clarence gave her a slight smile.

            “Okay walk me through this again.”

            Logan arrived while Clarence was taking Lamb through it step-by-step in easy to understand language. She left them to it and started across the lot. When Logan saw her, panic crossed his face and he rushed past the barricade the deputies were erecting. Veronica realized she hadn’t had a chance to clean up and was still covered with Jake’s blood. “It’s not mine.”

            He pulled her against him and held her in a tight embrace. She slipped her arms around him and held on. “What happened?”

            “Not here.” Veronica tried to convey the reason for her reluctance to share was not because of him, but that she really couldn’t do it here. “I’ll tell you in the car on the way to the Sheriff’s Department.” She left off the suggestion of a hospital because she didn’t want to freak him out and she didn’t think her wrist was broken just sprained.

            “Is Lamb arresting you?”

            “No, but he’s going to have the charges against Trina dropped and they’ll bring her there to release her.”

            “That will take hours.” Without releasing her, he slow walked them closer to the building and the pool of light from an exterior spot. His fingers grazed the marks on her throat and his hands traveled over her body trying to assess the damage. When he applied gentle pressure to her wrist, he watched her face for the reaction. “You need an x-ray.”

            Logan took her other hand and started walking toward the car. “I don’t know if I can leave the…”

            “You can and you will.” He pulled open the passenger door of her Audi. “You’re _hurt_ Veronica and if Lamb doesn’t like it, he can deal with me.”

            She climbed in the car without further argument. Logan was barely hanging on last night when she told him about Aaron and Trina and he looked even worse now; tired and drained. “I’m sorry.”

            He let her apology go without comment. They both knew she was only sorry for the poor timing and making him worry, not for actually breaking into Clarence’s office. Given the same circumstances, she would do it again, but probably not right after telling him about Aaron and his sister. “Remember when you said it was okay for me to ask you questions, pry a little, make you share? This would be me doing that.”

            Veronica gave him the highlights. “I was only looking for evidence connecting Julie to the Kanes. I didn’t think,” she winced at her word choice, “any of this would happen.”

            Logan wasn’t dumb; he followed her entire thought process and understood why she made the connections she did, but he could see the glaring hole. “Why did Wiedman shoot Jake? And why did he cover for you with Lamb?”

            They were almost at the hospital; the same hospital where she was after Parker shot her. _Do they have a repeat customer discount program?_ Veronica didn’t want to deliver the news while he was driving so she remained silent until they pulled into the lot and he turned off the car. “I think Duncan paid Clarence to kill your…to kill Aaron.”

            Now it was his turn to remain silent. He leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes. “Why?”

            “That million dollar transfer Mac found into Clarence’s account? It was on October third, the same year Aaron was killed and it was from Duncan.” His fingers were clenching the steering wheel and Veronica stroked her hand over his trying to ease his tension. “Jake was probably the only person, aside from Duncan, who could connect Clarence to the crime.”

            “So shooting him got rid of one witness and covering for you buys your silence.”

_Logan_ _: definitely not dumb_.  “Pretty much. He’s also going to provide the evidence needed to free Trina and arrest Kip Williams.” He nodded, but didn’t say anything. “What are you thinking?”

            “That he deserved to die and that…am I supposed to be angry? Should I _care_ that Duncan avenged his sister’s death and got away with it? Because I don’t.” Logan turned to face her, “but I don’t want you to compromise yourself. If you can find evidence to nail Wiedman, do it.”

_It’s not always easy doing the right thing_. She just didn’t know what the right thing _was_ in this situation. “For now, let’s just get Trina cleared.” At the mention of his sister’s name, his shoulders slumped and he averted his face.

            “I called the clinic from Dr. Trent’s office.” His voice shook, “they do specialize in sexual abuse, specifically _childhood_ sexual abuse. That’s the meaning behind their name; small steps, like children, _babies_.”

            “Did you ask them about Trina?”

            He shook his head, “I thought about it. That’s why I called from Dr. Trent’s office, caller ID, I was going to pretend to be her doctor here in the States.”

            “You’ve been hanging out with me too much.”

            A soft smile, “you as the bad influence; I like it.” Logan pulled the keys from the ignition and opened his door, “let’s go inside. I want an actual medical professional to tell me you’re okay.”

            “Are you going to make them x-ray my head too?”

            “Your head’s too complicated for today’s technology; it would probably break the machines.” He held her hand as they walked into the hospital. “Do you think that maybe the next time I’m on leave, we could avoid this place?”

            “It could happen.” 


	28. EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE – _Three months later_

            Logan was sure this was a dumb idea. Three times he almost turned around and went back to the rental place. Romantic gesture, he scoffed. He couldn’t even spell romantic gesture, but that’s what Veronica asked him for and he never could say no to her.

            He pulled into the driveway and studied the house. It was the first time in his life he looked forward to going home, _being home_ and it had very little to do with the building. What he told Veronica last year was the truth- he would live in a box if she and Wyatt were there; he’d certainly lived in worse places. _Man up Echolls and do this thing_.

            Reluctantly he got out of the car and approached the porch. _Shit this was almost as bad as that dinner at her dad’s house._ He looked back at the car. _Dumb fuck_. She was going to hate this. _Maybe I should cancel the whole thing_?

            He flew fighter jets during a _war_ for crissakes and the idea of tonight and one tiny blonde scared the shit out of him. Logan sighed. Things were perfect the way they were, he didn’t need anything else. He went to bed every night with Veronica by his side and slept soundly knowing she would still be there in the morning. He was content. His mind tripped back to their conversation when she was pregnant, _but it’s not enough for me Logan, I want this_. There were those two little words again, “for me.” Well he was about to make a jackass out of himself for her. _That’s a permanent condition for you- jackass_.

            He let himself into the house. His internal Veronica radar led him straight to her. She was in their room feeding Wyatt. He leaned in the doorway. There was no need to say anything, she knew he was there. “We’re almost done.”

            “Take your time, just enjoying the view.”

            “Dad and Dottie should be here any minute.” Logan frowned. This was the first time they were leaving Wyatt overnight. “She’s going to be fine.”

            “Get out of my head Veronica, it’s a scary place.” He almost added right now, but that would be a lie, his head was a scary place most of the time.

            “Eh, I’ve been in there plenty of times, it’s not so bad, it could use a woman’s touch though,” she smiled.

            She’d spent the better part of a month on a journey through his head by reading his journal. When he gave it to her, she refused to read it, but he could see her eyes shimmer with curiosity.  ‘ _I don’t need to know_ ,’ is what she said to him, which for Veronica was akin to a miracle, but _he_ needed her to know. If they were going to build a life together, raise a child together, he needed her to understand those dark places in his head. “You’re not planning on putting any girly curtains in there are you?”

            “They’re called window treatments and maybe a nice area rug and some throw pillows too?” She held out the baby for him, “take her while I get dressed.”

            “Oh you’re not going like that?”

            “Isn’t _getting_ me naked part of the fun?”

            “Yes, but since you’re halfway there…maybe we could just skip to the next part? I can call your dad to cancel.”

            “Nope, you owe me a date Echolls.” Part of him was surprised that something hadn’t gone wrong yet. This was usually the point in their evening where she found out something terrible about him and either stood him up (yacht) or broke up with him (Madison). Although he supposed there was nothing left about him that she didn’t already know. 

            Logan took the baby from her. Burying his face in her neck, he found her ticklish spot and made _num, num, num_ noises; eliciting a delighted squeal and giggles from Wyatt. He grinned. Nibbling her neck and running his finger along the arches of her feet were surefire ways to get her to laugh and he loved listening to her laugh; almost as much as he loved the _da, da, da_ noises she was starting to make.

            “Don’t get her all worked up or she’s not going to go to sleep,” Veronica called from the bathroom.

            “Too late; right, jellybean?” He put her in the center of the bed and tickled her feet, receiving more giggles. “Besides your dad and Dottie would be terribly disappointed if she was sleeping when they got here.”

            “That’s true.”

            Logan glanced up at her and his mouth parted. “Wow, that’s some dress.” She did a slow turn for him and the black circle skirt twirled around her knees. Its sleeves were lace as was the entire midriff and the back dipped into a low “v” exposing skin that was too hard for him to resist touching. He trailed his finger down the edge of the lace to the small of her back, “are you sure we need to go anywhere?”

            “You’re taking me out,” she slipped on her heels, “are you just trying to wheedle out of this date because you didn’t make any actual plans?”

            He smirked, “my plans do tend to go awry.” Logan lifted her hair from the nape of her neck and planted tiny kisses down her spine.

            “Logan.” It was soft and longing and he smiled against her skin. All he needed was a few more minutes and he could convince her that their night on the town was better spent right here in their bedroom. He slid his hand around her waist, pulling her closer and his mouth closed over that spot on her neck he loved. “New perfume?” She nodded. The perfume smelled like citrus and apples and cedar, but the underlying notes were all Veronica. _Now if I could bottle that fragrance_ …he shook his head… _no… that scent is all mine_. The doorbell rang and he sighed, “see? Plans- awry.”

            “That wasn’t a plan; that was you trying to get out of our date.” She peeled his fingers from her waist and went to answer the door. He picked up Wyatt, cradled her in the crook of his arm and followed Veronica to the living room.

            “There she is,” Keith held out his arms for his granddaughter and Logan passed him the baby. “Who’s your grandpa?”

            Dottie chuckled, “you kids should probably just go now. He’s not going to notice anything else, including me, for the rest of the night.”

            Keith smiled, “she’ll go to sleep eventually.”

            They were a good fit, Dottie and Keith; they seemed to make each other happy, but them dating made him… _uneasy_. He was still trying to convince Keith he was… _worthy_...of Veronica and he didn’t want anything to mess that up like a bad ending to their relationship because of _him_. Logan knew Dottie was very vocal in her defense of him and had already gone a few rounds with Keith over it and…

            Veronica put her hand on his arm, cutting off his thoughts, “ready?”

            _No_. His eyes wandered over her; she really did look amazing. “Does that dress have a jacket?”

            “Is this the same man who was trying to get me to wear _less_ clothing just a few minutes ago?” It was said soft enough for his ears only, but he still swiveled his head in Keith’s direction to make sure it went unheard by him. Veronica grinned at his reaction. “I’ll get my wrap and meet you on the porch.”

            Logan kissed Wyatt goodbye, gave Dottie a quick hug and a nod to Keith before heading outside. He leaned against the SUV to wait. When Veronica walked onto the porch and spotted the yellow X-terra, her steps slowed. “It’s not a DeLorean, but I suddenly feel like Marty McFly.”

            “You’re prettier.” Her feet remained firmly planted on the top step. _She doesn’t look happy_. Logan tried thinking of something… _meaningful_ …to say only to end up waggling his eyebrows suggestively and telling her, “it has a roomy backseat.”

            One corner of her mouth lifted in that impish half-smile he found incredibly sexy and amusement made her eyes sparkle. Logan pulled open the passenger door and she finally left the porch.  “Are you going to take me parking?”

            “The thought crossed my mind.” He shut the door behind her and circled around to the driver’s seat, “hey Veronica.” A soft _hmm_ , “I love you.”

            “The things guys will say to get past second base.” It was a wider smile now and Logan felt the knot of tension in his gut loosen. “Hey pretty-boy jerk,” she took his hand, “I love you too.” _Way better than the first time I said it._

            Dinner was at the soccer field where they met. Mac took care of the linen-covered table for two, the candles and the flowers he requested. Dick provided a waiter and the food; _Italian, her favorite_. Logan held out her chair. Once she was seated, he took her wrap and draped it around her shoulders before leaning in for a kiss; an innocent, tender kiss that lasted mere seconds. “Even without the knee socks and shorts; still perfect… although you are working it in that dress.”

            She tilted her head and smiled. “No plans, huh?”

            “ _You_ said that; I said they go awry as in end badly.” Trying to surprise her was next to impossible. Even off her game, she ferreted out information and deciphered clues better than Sherlock Holmes. He planned everything while he was on base, made sure all the calls went through Dottie, enlisted Trina’s help to keep Veronica distracted and he still wasn’t sure he pulled it off. _Not that she will ever tell me she knew_. “I wonder where we’d be if I hadn’t stepped aside and let Duncan have you.”

            “ _Have_ me?” He gave her a solemn nod, but couldn’t stop the smile. It was fun to get her all _riled_ and push her buttons. _Easy too_. “Certainly not here.” 

            “Like you would be able to withstand my charm,” he scoffed and she frowned at him. “Come on Veronica, you know you find me irresistible.”

            “Sometimes.” Her gaze moved over the candle stands and she fingered the petals of the yellow roses. “Like now.”

            They started with porcini risotto and moved on to manicotti… _of course_ …gorgonzola, fig and pancetta pizza and for dessert, black pepper raspberry sorbet with Prosecco. Halfway through his meal he stopped eating just to watch her. The tiny little sounds she made with the first bite of each dish, the way she licked the sauce from the corner of her mouth with just the tip of her tongue and how she sucked the sorbet off her finger; Logan committed each detail to memory. Sometimes when he thought about where he was when she left him compared to now it left him speechless. “Ready for a little exercise?”

            She batted her eyes at him, “backseat time?” Her stockinged toes found their way under the cuff of his pants and stroked his calf.

            “Not yet, but I do have plans to touch you.”

            “That sounds…promising.”

            He held out his hand for her and then couldn’t resist pulling her into his arms for an altogether different kind of kiss. _Maybe it is time for the backseat_. The raspberry sorbet and Prosecco tasted way better this way than from his spoon. His hands slid lower and cupped her ass as he molded her body to his. Kissing Veronica was an… _experience_ ; the feel of her beneath his hands, her tongue in his mouth, the breathy moans deep in the back of her throat, turned him on like nothing else. It took every ounce of his recently acquired self-control to pull away. “That was definitely not part of tonight’s program.”

            “Be spontaneous Echolls, live a little.” Her mouth found his again and he staggered back toward the bleachers. Pulling her down with him, she straddled his waist and buried her fingers in his hair. If they didn’t stop he was going to make love to her here in the stands. His body _cheered_ at the idea. She tightened her legs around him, grinding their hips together.

            Logan smirked, “if only you felt this _spontaneous_ back at the house, we could’ve saved time.”

            “But then I would’ve missed the manicotti.”

            “Pasta, the new aphrodisiac…they should put that on the box.” He lifted her off his lap and fixed her wrap. There was nothing he could do about her hair. The delicate combs she’d used to hold up the sides were slipping and she looked… _tousled_ and _inviting_. Logan groaned. “Go stand over there for a minute.”

            A teasing pout, “don’t wanna.”

            “ _Veronica_ ,” it was a desperate growl, which made her grin. She practically _skipped_ toward the X-terra making her ass sway way too seductively for his _comfort_. He forced himself to look away and think of something disgusting like Dick and his stash of kitchen porn. After a fast glance to confirm that she was safely tucked in the car, he stood. Their next stop was going to kill him with all the _touching_.

            Logan climbed into the SUV and kept his head straight, eyes focused on the road. A little chuckle from Veronica said she knew he was having _difficulty_ not pulling her into the backseat and ending their night right here. “This is fun.”

            His mind started conjuring up ways to make her pay for that remark, but it didn’t exactly help with the great restraint he was exercising. “Wench.” Another laugh from her.

            They pulled into the parking lot of Neptune High. Wallace had good-naturedly complained about losing his job, but gave him the keys anyway. Logan pulled them out of the glove box and circled the car to open her door. “Keys? I could’ve just picked the lock for you.”

            “Jail is not where I want tonight to end, but _handcuffs_ …that’s an entirely different story.”

            “You really do say the sweetest things.” They held hands on their way through the building, but when they got close to the gym doors he covered her eyes. “No blindfold?”

            “Maybe later,” he whispered the words close to her ear and then nipped her earlobe before kissing down her neck and sucking at the sensitive spot above her collarbone.

            He walked her through the doors and removed his hands from her eyes. Tiny strands of white lights were strung across the ceiling and pedestals of lavender roses created a small dance floor in the center of the room. A black grand piano was just beyond the flowers and when he led her onto the floor, the pianist took his seat at the bench. “Let me guess I’ve Had the Time of My Life?”

            Logan smiled, “no that implies it’s over and we’re just getting started.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and the pianist started to play John Legend’s _All of Me. “_ Our first dance didn’t quite end the way I wanted it to.”

            She rested her head on his chest and murmured, “me neither.”

            _Forever_. He could literally stay like this for eternity with her nestled in his arms. _Now all I have to do is get through the night without fucking it up_. Logan kissed the top of her head, “all of me does love all of you.”

            “I love you too.” Her hands traveled under his dinner jacket and caressed his back. “You know you didn’t have to go to all this trouble; I’m a sure thing.”

            “Maybe, but you’re worth it.” He gripped her tighter. Logan wished there were words to explain to her what she truly meant to him. Love just seemed insufficient. She resided in every inch of him; his heart, his mind, his soul. The threads of her were so intimately woven through him, he didn’t know where she ended and he began.

            When the last strains of music faded, he cupped her face and kissed her. He tried to tell her with his mouth and his hands exactly how he was feeling in this moment. Veronica placed her hand on his cheek; her eyes were glossy and a soft smile teased the edges of her lips. “Much better ending than the first time.”

            Logan kissed her nose, “we have one more stop.” It took a long time for them to get back to the X-terra. First she grabbed his lapels and pulled him down for an impromptu makeout session in the halls and when they reached the steps it was his turn. Logan lifted her up, put her in the passenger seat and then fastened the seatbelt around her, “precious cargo.”

            It took less time to reach the Camelot than it took them to traverse the parking lot at the high school. He was afraid to get out of the car. _What if she says no?_ He would take her anyway he could get her. If she didn’t want to marry him, he could live with it as long as he got to live with her. “You’re thinking too much Echolls. Get out of the car.”

            He did as she suggested. Red roses waited on the balcony outside room 226; _their room_. Logan opened the trunk and took out what he wanted. He kept it low and pressed to his leg so she wouldn’t see it. Veronica tried to peer around his body and he smiled. “No peeking Mars.” Once she started walking up the stairs and was in front of him, he moved it behind his back. She kept glancing behind her, attempting to look over his shoulder. He shook his head, “if you want it; you need to behave.”

             “Is it a pony?”

            “Shit, I knew I forgot something.” At the landing, he kissed her forehead. “Hold out your hand.” Veronica did as he asked and he put it in her waiting hand.

            “A crowbar?” It was resting in her open palm. She wasn’t looking at it, she was staring at him.

            Logan dragged a hand through his hair, “it’s not just a crowbar. It’s us, old and new, past and present.”

            Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she dropped her gaze. _Pretty sure, you’re not supposed to make them cry, Echolls_. He tilted his head back to stare at the awning. _Fuck up_. A tiny gasp from Veronica brought his eyes back to her face. She was gripping the crowbar, but her fingers were toying with the ring tied around its forked end. He took both from her hands. Holding up the crowbar he said, “old,” then he held up the ring, “new.” Logan got down on his knees. Again he held up the crowbar, “jackass,” the ring, “man who wants to marry you.”

            The tears were streaming down her face now. He pressed on, “I love you Veronica. Our history is… _tangled_ ; friends, mortal enemies, lovers, but I know what my life is like without you and I never want to go through that again. I want _us_ …” Deep breath, “will you marry me?”

            _It’s taking too long_. Logan’s head felt like it was going to explode and she still wasn’t saying anything. _Next time maybe you should dispense with the crowbar Echolls. ,_ He started to rise. _Next time? Yeah, right. One chance and I blew it_. Before he could get up, Veronica dropped to her knees in front of him, “yes.”

            Relief washed through him followed by an intense feeling of _joy_. _Veronica Mars is going to marry me; lucky bastard_. He held out the ring, “if you don’t like it we…”

            “Are you just going to talk, talk, talk or are you going to put that baby on my finger?”

            He grinned. It was an antique platinum setting with delicate filigree and a new round cut diamond. “There’s an inscription.”

            Veronica swiped at her face smearing her mascara. Her eyes were round and soft and luminous. _Breathtaking_. She read the inscription, looked up at him and repeated the promise, “always.” His hands trembled as he slipped it on her finger, almost dropping it. She laughed. “You’re such a girl Echolls,” it was her soft, teasing I-love-you voice. Logan gathered her in his arms and stood. She was staring at the ring, tilting her hand back and forth. He almost asked, _who’s the girl now_ , but he remained silent just enjoying the moment. As he started to carry her toward the car, she put her hand on his chest. “Hey, don’t forget my crowbar,” a big grin, “it might come in handy.”


End file.
